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Narwhal, EE Partners file to expand Narwhal Unit by 6 tracts
Kay Cashman Petroleum News
On Oct. 2, the Alaska Department of Natural Resources' Division of Oil and Gas published a public notice of an application from Narwhal LLC and EE Partners Corporation (the designated NWLU operator), to expand the Narwhal Unit to expand the Narwhal Unit by six additional expansion tracts (ADLs 394363,
394369, 394370, 39437, 394372, 394376, all or part of which were picked up by the applicants in the December 2024 lease sale or shortly thereafter after being relinquished by Shell Offshore (West Harrison Bay Unit).
All the acreage involved is on State of Alaska submerged lands offshore the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska.
The application was filed with the division on June 25, 2025, and was deemed complete on Sept. 25, 2025. Narwhal LLC is based in Anchorage, Alaska.
Exploration plans EE Partners submitted a unit plan of exploration, or POE, as part of the application, and met with the division for a technical presentation in August 2024.
In the POE, EE Partners outlined a comprehensive five-year plan.
For the years 2024 and 2025, Narwhal committed to several non-drilling initiatives, including completing and filing critical path permits, evaluating drilling rig options, continuing the comprehensive geological and geophysical technical assessment for selecting a drilling location, conducting marine and shallow hazard surveys, reprocessing 3D seismic data for higher resolution imaging of shallow sediments, contract for field equipment and services, and commence mobilization of equipment and personnel related to winter 2025-26 drilling.
In 2026, EE Partners committed to drilling two exploration wells to evaluate the Nanushuk formation.
Pending ongoing analysis of geophysical data, one of the exploration wells may be drilled deeper to evaluate the Torok.
Based on the results of these initial wells, EE Partners said it plans to complete two additional exploration wells in 2027, continuing the evaluation of the Nanushuk and possibly the Torok formation, acquiring additional 3D seismic as needed.
In 2028, EE Partners said it would analyze the results of the two additional wells and submit the initial plan of development, or POD, for the Narwhal unit.
As part of the division's approval of the Narwhal unit formation, the division required EE Partners to post a performance bond to DNR in the amount of $750,000 if an exploration well is not completed by July 1, 2026. This bond must be posted no later than July 31, 2026.
If EE Partners does not complete an exploration well by Dec. 31, 2028, the bond amount will increase to $1.5 million which must be posted no later than Jan. 31, 2029. Moreover, the Narwhal unit will automatically terminate five years from its effective date.
However, the bond will be returned upon EE Partners' completion of an exploration well.
The division approved the proposed POE, which was effective Nov. 4, 2024, through Nov. 4, 2029.
A second POE is due 90 days before the expiration of the first POE on Aug. 6, 2029.
The proposed unit expansion posted Oct. 2, 2025, encompasses six tracts covering 31,683.13 acres of State land, including all or part of the following:
Umiat Meridian, Alaska
T. 14 N., R. 1 E., secs. 3, 4, 9, 10, 15, 16, 21, & 22.
T. 15 N., R. 1 W., secs. All.
T. 14 N., R. 2 W., sec. 3.
T. 15 N., R. 2 W., secs. 22 thru 27, & 34 thru 36.
Interested parties can review the non-confidential portions of the application on the division's website at
http://dog.dnr.alaska.gov/Library/, in-person at the division's office, or by writing to Division of Oil and Gas, Units Section, 550 West 7th Avenue, Suite 1100, Anchorage AK 99501-3560.
--KAY CASHMAN
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