AIDEA looks for ANWR pre-development work

Kristen Nelson

Petroleum News

The Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority in late June asked for bids on a $1.5 million contract for pre-development permitting and planning work on the leases it won in the U.S. Bureau of Land Management’s January sale in the 1002 area of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

Leases from that sale were suspended June 1 by the U.S. Department of the Interior. DOI cited Executive Order 13990 which directed Interior to “place a temporary moratorium on activities of the General Government relating to the Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program,” review that program and conduct a new analysis of potential environmental impacts.

AIDEA has protested the suspension, asking for statutory and regulatory evidence for the suspension.

On June 25, AIDEA’s board passed a resolution authorizing the agency to spend up to $1.5 million on pre-development permitting and planning work on the leases.

“Activities will support a phased, multi-year seismic acquisition program targeted to begin in 2022,” AIDEA said.

Current assessments of resource potential in the 1002 Area are based on 2D seismic by the U.S. Geological Survey in the 1980s.

“We can reliably enhance those early oil and gas resource estimates through responsible, carefully planned, low-impact 3D seismic surveys,” said AIDEA Chairman Dana Pruhs.

The agency said processed data would be used to identify the most prospective sites for resource recovery.

The agency’s request for proposals said the proposed project schedule is from August 2021 to October 2022.

AIDEA said it “is seeking professional services to complete and prepare the required pre-development permitting activities for the purpose of supporting a phased, multi-year seismic acquisition program on the Authority’s oil and gas leases located within Section 1002 of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge Coastal Plain.”

The intent of the project, AIDEA said, “is to develop and provide financing for the industrial development” of its seven leases, covering 376,775 acres, acquired in January. “The Project permitting components will include but may not be limited to responsible development and impact studies, data collection, and the required regulatory permitting to support a phased, multi-year seismic acquisition program,” and may include:

*Stakeholder outreach and engagement;

*Development of plan of operations;

*Preparation of required permitting and authorizations;

*Planning, acquisition and completion of studies, reports and data collection;

*Preparation of progress, compliance and final reporting as required;

*Planning, acquisition and completion of studies, reports and data collection “reasonably necessary to prevent negative surface impacts”; and

*All other services necessary to complete permitting.

AIDEA said additional environmental services may be added to the work by amendment.

Proposals were due July 8.