THE EXPLORERS 2004: Doyon could seek industry partner for Yukon Flats exploration

The agreement in principle for a land trade in Yukon Flats National Wildlife Refuge between Doyon Ltd. and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, announced Oct. 20, 2004, would give each something they want, says Jim Mery, senior vice president of lands of the Interior Alaska regional Native corporation.

Mery told Petroleum News Oct. 25 that Exxon and Amoco explored in the Yukon Flats area in the 1980s, “and that’s the basis of our information, and why we think the areas is so promising.” The companies did surface studies and about 240 miles of seismic were gathered, both on public and on Doyon lands. Doyon subsequently licensed information from industry.

Doyon’s goal is to consolidate prospective areas of Doyon and federal land, Mery said.

Once the agreement is final, “we would then go out and we would seek an industry partner or partners to help conduct the next round of exploration which would likely be a more focused round of seismic followed by drilling,” he said.

In addition to work done in the 1980s, the U.S. Geological Survey is just finishing up a large petroleum assessment. Their conclusions aren’t public yet, Mery said, “but we have every reason to think they will be positive.”

—Kristen Nelson