OREANDA-NEWS. US lawmakers from coastal states have renewed an effort to steer a share of revenues from drilling in offshore federal waters into state coffers.

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources today weighed legislation that would share revenues from drilling in the Arctic, east coast and Gulf of Mexico.

Committee chairman Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) is looking to assemble a series of smaller energy bills into a comprehensive package of energy legislation.

A total of 26 bills were discussed for inclusion. Among them is a bill that would increase offshore energy exploration and production in the Gulf of Mexico, another to allow lease sales in the Alaska outer continental shelf and North Slope and revenue sharing to state governments.

"We have an outstanding opportunity to come together around core principles and build a bipartisan supply title," Murkowski said.

American Petroleum Institute director, Erik Milito said the bills would make exploration and drilling available in Alaska, the Gulf of Mexico and the south Atlantic outer continental shelf on the east coast, where little or no drilling takes place.

"Steps like these will help ensure that we have the necessary energy for our citizens five, 10 even 15 years down the road," Milito said.

Murkowski's bill would require a minimum of three lease sales in each of the Beaufort, Chukchi and Cook Inlet planning areas of Alaska during any five year leasing period. It would also change the revenue sharing division between the state and federal government resulting from the leases, with 23pc of lease revenue going to state and local governments or local program initiatives during the first 10 years of the lease, rising to 50pc of revenue after that 10-year period.

"I strongly believe that more predictable lease sales with more workable lease terms will provide more value for our treasury," Murkowski said.

The revenue-sharing proposal received a lukewarm response from Bureau of Ocean Energy Management director Abigail Hopper.

Hopper said the administration understands the desire of states to benefit from oil and gas production along state shores, but added, "At the same time the administration is also committed to ensuring that American taxpayers receive a fair return from the sale of public resources."

Ranking committee member Maria Cantwell (D-Washington), warned that revenue sharing has derailed legislation in the past.

"[These] concepts have brought this committee to a stand-still on multiple occasions, given the mix of concerns – fiscal policy concerns, concerns from senators in interior states and concerns about the adequate recovery of receipts on certain existing leases in the Gulf of Mexico," Cantwell said.

The committee will hold a fourth and final hearing 4 June to consider measures related to energy accountability to be included in the energy legislation. Murkowski has said she hopes to have a bill introduced later this summer. Her bill would be the first comprehensive energy legislation since 2007 when Congress passed the Energy Independence and Security Act.