NPR-A regs expected in December 2008

The U.S. Bureau of Land Management expects to release its revised NPR-A oil and gas leasing and unitization regulations in December 2008, BLM Alaska District spokeswoman Sharon Wilson told Petroleum News Aug.23.

The public comment period on the proposed regulations for the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska ended July 23, but due to the lengthy internal review process that follows, BLM “does not expect to have it completed until December 2008,” Wilson said. The review, she said, is being “conducted by BLM staff , all levels of management, solicitors (the DOI lawyers), and undoubtedly the Secretary’s staff, before it will be final.”

The revised rules for oil and gas leasing and unitization will bring NPR-A into compliance with the 2005 Energy Policy Act, clarify some lease-related issues, and bring some regulations more into line with leasing and unitization procedures in other regions and jurisdictions, the agency said.

Editor’s note: The most recent story about the proposed new regulations was published in the Aug. 5 issue of Petroleum News (http://www.petroleumnews.com/pnads/741917352.shtml).