BLM proposes updates to modernize oil and gas rules and support domestic energy
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WASHINGTON — The Bureau of Land Management today announced a proposed rule to update decades-old oil and gas regulations that limit the practice of commingling, a change aimed at improving efficiency, protecting taxpayers and tribes and strengthening domestic energy production.
The proposed rule would modernize guidelines that currently allow commingling only when mineral ownership and royalty conditions are identical. Those limits were written decades ago and no longer reflect current technology or the complex mineral ownership found across much of the western United States.
“Outdated rules should not stand in the way of responsible American energy development,” said Acting BLM Director Bill Groffy. “By modernizing these regulations, we can produce energy more efficiently, protect taxpayer and tribal royalties, and reduce surface disturbance, all while advancing the Trump administration’s priority to strengthen domestic energy and streamline government.”
Commingling allows production from multiple leases to be combined using a single well pad. Under the proposed rule, the BLM would allow a wider range of methods, including modern metering technologies, to ensure accurate measurement of production and fair royalty distribution.
The changes are intended to remove barriers that have constrained development in areas with complex mineral ownership and to encourage practices that minimize surface impacts by reducing the number of well pads needed.
The proposal also aligns with statutory changes enacted in internal BLM policy and with recent federal directives to streamline regulations and promote domestic energy production.
Written comments may be submitted to the Federal eRulemaking Portal: at www.regulations.gov, in the Search-box, enter “BLM-2025-0070” and click the “Search” button. Comments may also be delivered to: U.S. Department of the Interior, Director (630), Bureau of Land Management, 1849 C St. NW, Room 5646, Washington, DC 20240, Attention: 1004–AF38. The public comment period on the proposed rule will close March 31, 2026.
For additional information, please contact BLM Oil and Gas Program Lead Matthew Warren at [email protected].
The BLM manages about 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.