Дивизия нефти и газа Аляски утвердила лицензирование разведки в районе Юкон Флэтс

Alaska's source for oil and gas news The Alaska Division of Oil and Gas has determined that state lands in the Yukon Flats area are subject to exploration licensing. The July 9 decision, signed by division Director Haley Paine, followed a preliminary determination on March 4 that state land in the Yukon Flats area may be subject to exploration licensing. The division received 180 timely public comments on the finding, reflecting general opposition, but the division said that after evaluating the comments, the director "determined that the boundaries and scope of the preliminary determination will not be changed for this final written determination." In responding to comments on the proposal, the division noted that the current decision "is limited to determining whether the area should be available for potential future oil and gas exploration licensing opportunities" and does not authorize any exploration activities, construction of infrastructure or development. "Site-specific engineering feasibility, access requirements, and environmental constraints would be evaluated during future licensing, permitting, and project review processes." The division also said that areas with "significant technical or environmental challenges may prove unsuitable for exploration or development despite inclusion eligibility for exploration licensing." Proposal received last year The division received a proposal for an exploration license in the Yukon Flats area last year. In May of 2025 the division requested additional proposals and comments on exploration within the solicitation area. The area in the May 2025 request for comments, based on the division's map, was some 2,300 square miles from Rampart in the west and included stretches of the Dalton and Elliott Highways. Livengood was included, and a section of the Steese Highway on the southeast portion of the block, along with Fort Yukon and the communities of Circle and Circle Hot Springs. There are state lands inside the 2,300 square miles along much of the Dalton, Elliott and Steese highways. In August, the division issued a notice of intent to evaluate an oil and gas exploration license proposal and a request for comments on exploration within the solicitation area. The division said in August that it received no competing proposals and thus was able to identify the applicant as Hilcorp Alaska LLC. It also defined a smaller area, some 550 square miles according to the division's map, the interior of the original block, with no highways included and no larger communities, just an area with communities along the Yukon and Porcupine rivers, and Beaver and Birch creeks. There are no state lands within the smaller area, but the state said in its August notice of intent that "the state of Alaska owns the mineral estate primarily under navigable waterways in this area." The division also noted that "ongoing exploration work is occurring on privately owned land in this region." The drilling program which Hilcorp ended recently after drilling one well was adjacent to Birch Creek. Exploration licensing program The division said the exploration licensing program is intended "to encourage exploration in areas far from existing infrastructure, with unknown hydrocarbon potential, and where there is a higher investment risk to the operator." Any data collected under an exploration license must be provided to the state. Exploration licenses require a work commitment, expressed in dollars, and allow the license holder the exclusive right to explore state lands within the license area for up to 10 years. All or a portion of the license area may be converted to oil and gas leases after the work commitment is met. The division must find that the exploration license is in the state's best interest before issuing a license.