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Oil and Gas Industry: A Research Guide

Laws and Regulations

The oil and gas industry is highly regulated at multiple levels of government. This page provides an overview of pertinent legislation and international agreements. The sub-page on U.S. regulatory agencies covers different governmental groups responsible for enforcing regulations. For further legal questions, contact the Law Library's Ask a Librarian.

U.S. Federal Statutes

Numerous pieces of legislation impacting the oil and gas industries have been passed by Congress. The following book provides an overview to oil and gas laws in the United States: This title links to fuller bibliographic information in the Library of Congress Online Catalog.

Below are select acts that currently regulate the oil and gas industry. To search for others, visit the Law Library's Guide to Researching Federal Statutes

International Agreements

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC or UN Climate Change) was created in 1992, and serves as the body to facilitate international agreements around energy consumption. Additionally, regional groups may have their own regulations surrounding the oil and gas industry.