I've grown up in the oil industry and such an area. San Juan county gives the USA huge chunk of natural gas.
From time to time I've ran across folks in the industry who have been in a position to know. They've affirmed such a deliberate secret locking away of oil resources to varying degrees.
I dunno. The Gub'mint can't get a postcard delivered on time one time out of ten... I have a hard time believing that more than 3 people can get together, form policy that would be disastrously unpopular if true, and quietly implement that policy across a double handful of states with wildly varying personality types in managerial control... across a gereration or two.
But I'm a cynic.