A February 2026 World Oil outlook reviews federal actions since President Trump returned to office on Jan. 20, 2025, saying multiple agencies have prioritized faster approvals and expanded access for upstream development. The article cites Bureau of Land Management approval of 5,742 permits to drill from Jan. 20, 2025 to early Jan. 2026 (up 55% versus the comparable prior period) and 22 federal lease sales in 2025 covering about 328,000 acres across 10 states and generating more than $356 million. It also notes Interior used emergency procedures aimed at shortening permit timelines to 28 days, alongside expanded Arctic-related activity and offshore leasing plans.
On LNG, the piece says the Department of Energy ended the January 2024 pause on new export permits and approved export authorizations for five projects, including Port Arthur LNG Phase II and Venture Global’s CP2 (listed at up to 3.96 Bcfd). It adds that DOE is streamlining grid connections tied to rising data-center power demand and expects U.S. natural gas exports in 2026 to be 4 Bcfd higher than in 2024 (a 33% increase). For mineral owners tracking activity drivers, context on oil and gas leasing regulations and what typically prompts operators to move forward can help frame how these policy signals may translate to local interest (see how drilling decisions take shape).
Source: World Oil
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