Do oil companies have to pay to drill for oil on goverment land?

Question

do oil companies have to pay to drill for oil on goverment land?

or do they just get it for free?

Answer 1

They get a lease for a few million $$.   If there is nothing there, then tough luck.   Most likely there is oil in places the gvt leases for oil exploration though, then they can make billions in profit.

Answer 2

They have to get a lease and pay for it.