The US Department of the Interior (DOI) will implement emergency permitting procedures to accelerate the development of domestic energy resources and critical minerals—including oil and gas. The measures are designed to expedite the review and approval, if appropriate, of projects related to the identification, leasing, siting, production, transportation, refining, or generation of energy within the US. The new permitting procedures will reduce a process that once took years to just 28 days.
“The United States cannot afford to wait,” said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum. “We are cutting through unnecessary delays to fast-track the development of American energy and critical minerals—resources that are essential to our economy, our military readiness, and our global competitiveness. By reducing a multiyear permitting process down to just 28 days, the department will lead with urgency, resolve, and a clear focus on strengthening the nation’s energy independence.”
The procedures also apply to refined petroleum products, uranium, coal, biofuels, geothermal energy, kinetic hydropower, and critical minerals.
The DOI said the declaration of a National Energy Emergency recognizes that current delays in energy project approvals pose significant risks to the nation’s economic stability, national security, and foreign policy interests. In response, it will utilize emergency authorities under existing regulations for the National Environmental Policy Act, Endangered Species Act, and the National Historic Preservation Act.
One of the biggest changes comes as the DOI adopts an alternative National Environmental Policy Act compliance process. Projects analyzed in an environmental assessment, normally taking up to 1 year, will now be reviewed within approximately 14 days. Projects requiring a full environmental impact statement, typically a 2-year process, will be reviewed in roughly 28 days.
Commingled Production Comes to the Wilcox
Separately, Interior’s Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) has implemented new parameters for downhole commingling in the Paleogene (Wilcox) reservoirs, expanding the allowable pressure differential from 200 psi to 1,500 psi.
The change, the result of technical consultation with offshore industry leaders, could increase production output by roughly 10%, which would translate into an increase of more than 100,000 B/D over the next 10 years. Additional gains are possible as operators provide further data.
Results from a University of Texas study on commingling show that commingled production maximizes per-well oil production compared to sequential schemes. Over 30 years, it provides 61% more oil recovery, and over 50 years, it yields 21% more.
BSEE said the policy shift is grounded in modern reservoir performance analysis and updates outdated guidance based on a 2010 government study. Under the updated rules, operators can now safely produce from multiple reservoirs with greater pressure differences, provided they meet new conditions including fluid compatibility certification, pressure monitoring, and regular performance reporting to BSEE.
