June 30, 2013 | By Barbara Vergetis Lundin

Despite criticism from some in Congress that the Obama administration isn't moving fast enough to make more public lands available for energy development, outgoing U.S. Department of the Interior (DOI) Deputy Secretary David J. Hayes contends that energy development of federal lands and waters is "robust and opportunities abound for oil and gas production as well as renewable energy projects."

Offshore production in the Gulf of Mexico has recovered from the delays caused by the 2010 Deepwater Horizon explosion and oil spill and subsequent increased federal safety standards, Hayes said at a Platts Energy Podium event in Washington, D.C, adding that the number of rigs in the Gulf now exceeds pre-Macondo levels and companies are making major discoveries.

There are advances onshore as well.

 

"It is incredibly frustrating how politicized this issue has become," Hayes said. "On the oil side, onshore, we've gone up by 35 percent in terms of oil being produced on our public lands."

Hayes did acknowledge, however, that onshore natural gas production on public lands has decreased in recent years due to companies seeking major gas plays in shale formations, most of which are on private and state lands, as well as declining natural gas prices.

On the renewables side, the Interior Department has approved 25 utility-scale solar facilities, nine major wind farms and 11 geothermal plants -- more than 13,000 MW -- since 2009, according to Hayes.

"We have done proof of concept that in this country we can have utility-scale renewable energy providing a major energy source to major population centers," Hayes said.

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