BLM Has Opportunities To Improve Its Helium Royalty Collection Program

View Report

Title Full

Date Issued

Thursday, February 12, 2026

Submitting OIG

Department of the Interior OIG

Agencies Reviewed/Investigated

Department of the Interior

Components

Bureau of Land Management

Report Number

2025-ISP-013

Report Description

BLM generally accounted for helium royalties collected; however, it did not always identify, track, collect, and properly oversee helium royalties.

Report Type

Inspection / Evaluation

Agency Wide

Yes

Number of Recommendations

Questioned Costs

Funds for Better Use

$995,385

Report updated under NDAA 5274

External Link

https://www.doioig.gov/reports/inspection/blm-has-opportunities-improve-its-hel…

Open Recommendations

This report has 7 open recommendations.

Recommendation Number	Significant Recommendation	Recommended Questioned Costs	Recommended Funds for Better Use
2025-ISP-013-01	No	$0	$0
We recommend that BLM develop policies and procedures for identifying and tracking helium-producing wells to ensure helium agreements are established and enforce agreement clauses for annual reporting.
2025-ISP-013-02	No	$0	$48,000
We recommend that BLM resolve the $48,000 in uncollected penalties.
2025-ISP-013-03	No	$0	$0
We recommend that BLM establish a records management system for tracking helium agreements.
2025-ISP-013-04	No	$0	$0
We recommend that BLM develop policies and procedures for monitoring helium agreements to ensure they are current.
2025-ISP-013-06	No	$0	$851,000
We recommend that BLM conduct a thorough review of royalty payment data to identify potential delinquencies and resolve any delinquencies identified, including resolving the $851,000 of potential delinquencies previously reported.
2025-ISP-013-05	No	$0	$0
We recommend that BLM develop policies and procedures for identifying, tracking, and following up on delinquent companies.
2025-ISP-013-07	No	$0	$96,385
We recommend that BLM establish a policy for conducting reviews of helium companies to conform to ONRR practices, including establishing a risk-based strategy and independent verification of company-provided production data to assist the Federal Leased Lands team in performing efficient oversight of helium companies, which would put the team's $96,385 in estimated yearly salary expenses associated with inefficient oversight practices to better use in the future.