State set to release data on four wells

The Alaska Department of Natural Resources Division of Oil and Gas said July 27 that it plans to release and make public within 30 days data and information submitted to the division on four wells for which the state provided exploration credits.

The wells are Furie Operating Alaska’s KLU1 and KLU2; Linc Energy Operations Lea 1; and Cook Inlet Energy’s North Fork Unit 34-26.

Requirements to qualify for credits include submittal of information prior to drilling indicating that the oil or gas trap targeted is separate from any trap tested by a preexisting well. As part of the approval process the DNR commissioner may request that the explorer submit specific data sets which DNR may release after expiration of a 24-month period of confidentiality, following a 30-day period of public notice. The DNR commissioner may determine, however, that information should not be released “to protect information relating to the valuation of unleased acreage in the same vicinity” or if the “well is on private land and the owner, including the lessor but not the lessee, of the oil and gas resources has not given permission to release the well data.”

- Petroleum News