No substantial new Slope, Beaufort info

Petroleum News

In a June 8 decision, Alaska Division of Oil and Gas Director Tom Stokes said the division received no timely comments on an April 12 request for substantial new information for the 2021 North Slope and Beaufort Sea areawide oil and gas lease sales.

Sales are held if a written best interest finding, valid for 10 years, finds the sale in the interests of the state.

The North Slope areawide final finding was issued in 2018; the Beaufort Sea final finding in 2019.

Each year, the division issues a call for new information for that year’s lease sale, and based on that responses to the call, the director determines whether substantial new information has become available which would justify a supplement to the final best interest finding.

The submission period ended May 14, with no timely comments received.

The director found that no substantial new information was received to justify supplements to either final finding.

The North Slope and Beaufort Sea areawide sales, along with the North Slope Foothills sale, are scheduled for fall. The Foothills sale did not require a call for substantial new information because the best interest finding for that sale was issued in February.

- Petroleum News