Outer Continental Shelf

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See "outer continental shelf" for the generic geographical term

The Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) is a peculiarity of the political geography of the United States and is the part of the internationally recognized continental shelf of the United States which does not fall under the jurisdictions of the individual U.S. states.

Map of the Outer Continental Shelf by the mainland U.S.; Alaska leasing region not shown.

Formally, the OCS is governed by Title 43, Chapter 29 "Submerged Lands", Subchapter III "Outer Continental Shelf Lands", of the U.S. Code. The term "outer Continental Shelf" refers to all submerged lands, its subsoil, and seabed that belong to the United States and are lying seaward and outside of the states' jurisdiction, the latter defined as the “lands beneath navigable waters" in Title 43, Chapter 29, Subchapter I, Section 1301.^[1]

The United States OCS has been divided into four leasing regions:^[2]

Gulf of Mexico OCS Region
Atlantic OCS Region
Pacific OCS Region
Alaska OCS Region

State jurisdiction is defined as follows:^[2]

Texas and the Gulf coast of Florida are extended 3 marine leagues (approximately 9 nautical miles) seaward from the baseline from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured.
Louisiana is extended 3 (pre-1954 U.S.) nautical miles (5.560 km/3.455 mi) seaward of the baseline from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured (as defined pre-1954 in the U.S.: nautical mile = 6080.2 feet).
All other States' seaward limits are extended 3 international nautical miles (5.556 km/3.452 mi) seaward of the baseline from which the breadth of the territorial seaward is measured.

Federal jurisdiction is defined under accepted principles of international law. The seaward limit is defined as the farthest of 200 nautical miles seaward of the baseline from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured or, if the continental shelf can be shown to exceed 200 nautical miles, a distance not greater than a line 100 nautical miles from the 2,500-meter isobath or a line 350 nautical miles from the baseline.^[2]

Outer Continental Shelf limits greater than 200 nautical miles but less than either the 2,500 meter isobath plus 100 nautical miles or 350 nautical miles are defined by a line 60 nautical miles seaward of the foot of the continental slope or by a line seaward of the foot of the continental slope connecting points where the sediment thickness divided by the distance to the foot of the slope equals 0.01, whichever is farthest.^[2]

Coastlines are emergent. Thus the landward boundary of the outer continental shelf is a legal construct rather than a physical construct, modified only at intervals by appropriate processes of law.^{[citation needed]}

For legislation concerning the OCS, the United States Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation has jurisdiction within the United States Senate.^{[citation needed]}