This is what I am wondering about - buy them up and then use them when America is in a strangle hold from the Mideast and Russia is not coming through. If that occurs - the administration then puts the options before the American public and they can decide if California and Florida will have to join in with the Gulf drilling to keep America going.
If this happens - the price for the leases will go up also for those wanting to drill and the increase could help pay off the investment. Sometimes it is nice to have oil men in the government.