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Americas · Oil & Gas Local Content
United States
Primary instrument
Buy American Act & Jones Act
Enacted / active: 1933 / 1920
Governed by US Federal Government (multiple agencies)
What the rule actually says
The US has no single oil & gas local content law. Instead, sector-adjacent statutes (Buy American on federally funded projects, the Jones Act on coastwise shipping, state severance and content preferences) apply.
— Key requirements
- US-flagged vessels required for coastwise offshore supply
- Buy American thresholds on federally assisted projects
- State-level severance & workforce preferences (TX, LA, ND, AK)
What this means for SMEs
United States in plain English
US-registered SMEs get preference on federally funded infrastructure and offshore support work. Foreign SMEs typically enter through a US-incorporated affiliate or a joint venture with a domestic partner.