Why Scientific Exploration Matters

Responsible offshore mineral resource development starts with a simple principle: decisions should be guided by evidence, not assumptions. Exploration provides the data needed to evaluate opportunities, risks, and potential impacts before any development decisions are made.

Last year, Odyssey submitted an unsolicited request for a lease sale of marine mineral exploration and development rights to the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM). 

The offshore area identified in Odyssey’s request is considered prospective for heavy mineral sands that may contain titanium minerals, zircon, and monazite (a mineral that can contain rare earth elements). These materials support strategically important industries and technologies, including aerospace, defense, electronics, medical devices, energy systems, and advanced manufacturing.

If BOEM ultimately offers a lease, scientific exploration would be the next step. 

Before any minerals can be recovered, resources must be validated through scientific study, environmental and societal impacts must be assessed, and multiple regulatory reviews and public engagement processes must take place. 

Exploration involves collecting baseline information on seabed conditions, water quality, habitats, ocean currents, species presence, and other environmental characteristics. These studies help establish what is present in the area, how ecosystems function, and what environmental sensitivities may require protection.

The information gathered also helps inform safeguards. Independent experts, marine scientists, environmental specialists, and regulators use field data, modeling, and monitoring results to evaluate potential impacts. Their analysis can help determine where activities may occur, when they should take place, what protective measures may be necessary, and under what circumstances work should be modified or paused.

Building on Existing Regional Knowledge

Scientific understanding of the Mid-Atlantic did not begin with Odyssey's request. Federal and state agencies, universities, and industry have studied the region's geology, biology, physical oceanography, offshore sand resources, and coastal processes for decades. Research related to marine resources, offshore dredging, and coastal resilience provides an important foundation for evaluating the area's resource potential and environmental conditions.

A science-first approach gives communities, regulators, and investors a clearer basis for understanding potential benefits, risks, and environmental considerations. It also helps companies make informed decisions by reducing uncertainty, identifying sensitive areas, and designing appropriate safeguards before impacts occur.

Collecting environmental and geological data is an essential research stage that improves understanding of site conditions and informs future decision-making. The stronger the information base, the more informed and transparent the decisions that follow can be.

BOEM is currently conducting a Request for Information and Interest (RFI), an early stage of the federal review process intended to gather relevant information, evaluate interest, and receive input from government agencies, ocean users, communities, industry, and the public. The RFI is not a decision to hold a lease sale. No lease has been issued, and no exploration or development activities have been authorized.