State of Alaska extends exploration license comment period by 30 days

The public will get another month to comment on proposals by two companies hoping to explore undeveloped oil and gas basins in Alaska.

The extension runs through July 14.

The two companies filed their proposals in April 2007 in the hopes of obtaining state exploration licenses, a rarely utilized option for companies hoping to explore parts of the state not included in the state’s areawide competitive lease sales.

BGI North America LLC is requesting an oil and gas exploration license covering around 72,443 acres in the Crooked Creek-Circle basin, east of the community of Central and south of the community of Circle.

LAPP Resources Inc. is requesting a natural gas exploration license covering around 21,080 acres near Houston and Willow, north and east of the Parks Highway.

The state Division of Oil and Gas announced the proposals in December and began asking for public comments in April.

In the exploration license process, public comments are used to help create a best interest finding, which in turn is released for another round of public comments.

The state has already received some public comments, but had requests to keep the record open longer, according to Kathy Means, with the state Division of Oil and Gas.

“We wanted to make sure and accommodate those requests,” Means said.

—Eric Lidji