GAO Report on Interior Department Oil and Gas Data Sharing
Summary
The GAO released a report highlighting significant inefficiencies in the Department of the Interior's oil and gas data sharing processes. The report found that despite efforts to modernize systems, manual data entry and a lack of automated sharing persist, hindering oversight of energy development on federal and Tribal lands. The GAO recommends setting specific time frames and measurable goals to address these issues.
What changed
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has identified critical challenges in the Department of the Interior's (Interior) data sharing practices related to oil and gas development on federal and Tribal lands. Despite Interior's stated goal to improve data sharing and significant investments in system modernization, the GAO found that three key bureaus—BIA, BLM, and ONRR—continue to rely on manual data entry and inefficient processes. Specific issues include manual data input from paper documents, manual entry of emailed data, and a non-operational system for electronic submission of gas analysis reports, which has led to continued manual data collection. These inefficiencies impact critical business processes such as leasing, production verification, and bond reviews.
These findings suggest a need for Interior to implement more robust data management strategies. The GAO recommends that Interior establish clear time frames and measurable performance goals for its data-sharing improvements, as its current strategy lacks these elements, leaving the timeline for necessary enhancements uncertain. The continued reliance on manual processes increases the risk of errors and delays in oversight. Regulated entities and internal compliance teams should be aware that the Department of the Interior is under scrutiny for its data management practices, which could lead to future mandates or increased oversight regarding data submission and system integration.
What to do next
- Review Interior's data sharing policy and identify any internal processes that may be impacted by manual data handling.
- Assess current data submission and verification processes for compliance with any existing or emerging electronic data requirements.
- Monitor for any future directives or policy changes from the Department of the Interior regarding data sharing and system modernization.
Source document (simplified)
GAO-26-106475 Published: Jan 21, 2026. Publicly Released: Feb 20, 2026.
Fast Facts
Oil and gas production on federal lands generates billions of dollars annually. The Interior Department tracks and shares data to oversee oil and gas development across its bureaus.
Interior has a goal to improve its data sharing and efficiency. However, electronic data sharing among bureaus is limited and some share data manually. For example, one bureau manually enters data from paper files into its systems and mails that data to other bureaus.
We recommended Interior set time frames and measurable goals, among other things, to address such issues and improve efficiency.
Worker Collecting Oil and Gas Data
An oil and gas worker checks oil pump jacks and records data on a clipboard at sunset.
Highlights
What GAO Found
The Department of the Interior has a goal to improve data sharing, which is vital to its oversight of oil and gas development on federal and Tribal lands. Three bureaus within Interior share oversight responsibilities—the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and Office of Natural Resources Revenue. Interior and the bureaus have reported spending about $206 million since 2021 to modernize data systems. However, GAO identified challenges in three selected business processes—leasing land for oil and gas exploration, verifying that production is reported accurately, and reviewing bonds to ensure they are sufficient to cover cleanup costs. For example:
- Manual data sharing. To update data on oil and gas leases, BIA receives lease data in paper documents from companies that it then manually enters into its data system. BIA then emails or mails these data to other Interior bureaus, whose staff must manually enter the data into their systems.
- Inability to accept electronic data. To help ensure accurate royalty payments for extraction of natural gas, BLM verifies selected gas analysis reports submitted by operators. Since 2019, federal regulations have required operators to submit these reports electronically to BLM’s Gas Analysis Reporting and Verification System. However, this system has never been operational, and BLM has discontinued estimating when it will be. As a result, BLM manually collects data from operators as needed and still does not have a system to receive and store reports and data automatically.
Oil and Gas Data-Sharing Challenges Identified at the Department of the Interior
| Business process | Bureau of Indian Affairs | Bureau of Land Management | Office of Natural Resources Revenue |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Leasing | • Manual data sharing | • Manual data sharing | • Manual data sharing |
| Production verification | N/A | • Manual data sharing
• Data not accepted by systems | No challenges identified |
| Reviewing bonds | • Data not accepted by systems | • Manual data sharing | N/A |
Legend: N/A = not applicable. The bureau does not perform this business process.
Source: GAO analysis of Interior data systems. | GAO-26-106475
Note: Some automated data sharing may also be used for other aspects of these business processes.
Interior issued a 2023 data-sharing policy that targeted further enhancements across the department. However, this strategy does not have time frames and measurable performance goals for improving data sharing. Accordingly, Interior does not know when needed improvements will materialize. Without enhanced automated data sharing, highly inefficient and error-prone manual processes will continue unabated.
Interior and its oil and gas bureaus have generally followed internal data governance policies but have not completed data-sharing agreements as required by Interior policy. These agreements are supposed to guide how officials use and manage shared data. They also could help officials address the inherent challenges of manual processing. Without such agreements, Interior is likely missing opportunities to automate and electronically share information.
Why GAO Did This Study
Development of oil and gas resources on federal lands helps supply the U.S. with energy and generates billions of dollars annually in revenues. Within Interior, selected bureaus use data systems to oversee oil and gas development, such as by issuing drilling permits and inspecting wells.
GAO was asked to review Interior’s oil and gas data systems. This report (1) describes data sharing challenges, (2) examines Interior’s plans for improving data sharing, and (3) examines the extent to which Interior followed policies for data sharing.
GAO reviewed three selected oil and gas business processes that Interior uses. GAO examined data system documentation and interviewed officials who carry out these three business processes to identify challenges. GAO reviewed agency data-sharing policies, documentation, and strategy documents and interviewed system administrators and agency leadership.
Recommendations
GAO recommends that Interior (1) develop a strategy with measurable goals and time frames to improve oil and gas data sharing, including the retirement of manual processes and electronic acceptance of key oversight data; and (2) adhere to Interior policy to document data-sharing agreements. Interior’s audit liaison concurred with our findings and recommendations via email.
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Department of the Interior | The Secretary of the Interior should develop a department-wide performance management strategy with measurable goals and time frames to improve data sharing across oil and gas bureaus, including retirement of manual processes and the ability to electronically accept key data for oversight of oil and gas development. (Recommendation 1) | Open When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information. |
| Department of the Interior | The Secretary of the Interior should ensure that bureau officials adhere to Interior policy to formally document data-sharing agreements. (Recommendation 2) | Open When we confirm what actions the agency has taken in response to this recommendation, we will provide updated information. |
Full Report
GAO Contacts
Frank Rusco Director Natural Resources and Environment ruscof@gao.gov
Media Inquiries
Sarah Kaczmarek Managing Director Office of Public Affairs media@gao.gov
Public Inquiries
Topics
Natural Resources and Environment Data sharing Land management Natural resources Oil and gas Performance management Royalty payments Oil and gas development Federal lands Natural gas Strategic plan
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