State extends terms on 22 Repsol leases

The Alaska Department of Natural Resources extended the terms of 22 Repsol E&P USA Inc. leases on the North Slope in April. The leases are between the Kuparuk River and Colville River units, where Repsol has been exploring for the past three winters. The extensions add four years to the terms of the leases, until dates in May and August 2018.

The department also approved a transfer of North Fork unit leases to Cook Inlet Energy LLC, which acquired the southern Kenai Peninsula field in February. The deal involved former operator Armstrong Cook Inlet LLC, Dale Resources Alaska LLC, GMT Exploration Company LLC, Nerd Gas Company LLC and Jonah Gas Company LLC.

In the Interior, Usibelli Energy LLC, Cedar Creek Oil & Gas Co., Windmill Canyon LLC and Arctic Slope Regional Corp. transferred interests to Doyon Ltd. The five companies had previously partnered on an exploration program in the Nenana Basin.

On the North Slope, the state approved the transfer of a 10 percent working interest and 8.3 percent royalty interest in some 20 Royale Energy Inc. leases to Rampart Alaska LLC. Royale and Rampart recently completed a seismic program and now plan to drill.

In the Beaufort Sea, several companies traded interests in BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc. lease ADL 312828, which is part of the Duck Island unit. Doyon Ltd. transferred a 0.067 percent working interest and 0.0536 percent royalty interest in the lease to Chevron U.S.A. Inc. and a 0.433 percent working interest and 0.3464 percent royalty interest to BP Exploration (Alaska). Nana Regional Corp. transferred a 0.2011 percent working interest and 0.16088 percent royalty interest to Chevron U.S.A. and a 1.2989 percent working interest and 1.03912 percent royalty interest to BP Exploration (Alaska).

The state is considering a request from the estate of Robert E. Hickel to transfer small royalty interests in two North Fork leases to Betty J. Hickel, a request from Peter Michael Foley and Melissa McCarty Foley to transfer small royalty interests in six Kitchen Lights unit leases to Shawn Bartholomae and a request from the estate of Doris Ella Bledsoe to transfer small royalty interests in two Redoubt unit leases to Patricia Lynn Bledsoe.

- Eric Lidji