Alaska

Big Oil Flocks to Alaska in Record-Setting Petroleum Lease Sale | OilPrice.com

Published

1 month ago

March 21, 2026

Big Oil Flocks to Alaska in Record-Setting Petroleum Lease Sale | OilPrice.com

The first lease sale in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska in seven years became the most successful auction in the area ever, as oil majors bid on hundreds of tracts, signaling they haven’t given up on Alaska’s petroleum resources despite development and court challenges.

This week’s oil and gas lease sale for the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska, one of five mandated in the next decade under the Trump Administration’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), drew a record high of $163.7 million in high bids and resulted in 187 leases in total, awarded to companies including ExxonMobil, ConocoPhillips, and a consortium of Repsol and Shell subsidiaries.

The lease sale set a record for Alaska with the most revenue generated ever, the most tracts receiving bids, and the second most acreage sold in a single sale, the Bureau of Land Management said.

The BLM offered 625 tracts across about 5.5 million acres for bid in the sale, revived at the end of last year by the Trump Administration. No lease sales were held in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska under President Biden.

In the first sale since 2019, a total of 11 companies submitted bids on 187 tracts covering 1,334,967 acres.

The Trump Administration, the state of Alaska, and the local oil and gas association welcomed the results of the record-setting lease sale as a vote of confidence for Alaska’s role in American energy dominance, while environmentalists vowed to challenge any oil and gas drilling in court, the way they are already doing for the lease program itself.

The Three Companies Rebuilding America’s Rare-Earth Arsenal

“Today’s lease sale underscores the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska’s vital role in strengthening America’s energy security while fueling economic growth across Alaska,” Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum said.

Alaska’s Republican Governor Mike Dunleavy noted that the lease sale “reinforces Alaska’s role as a reliable energy producer, supports high-paying jobs for our families, provides additional revenue to the state, and strengthens American energy security at a time when energy security is more important than ever.”

The Alaska Oil and Gas Association and other business organizations in the state said that the “strong participation and unprecedented results underscore renewed investor confidence in Alaska’s North Slope and the state’s long-term resource potential.”

“The Trump administration deserves credit for helping restore access and certainty in the petroleum reserve, allowing industry to step forward with meaningful commitments,” said Steve Wackowski, president and CEO of the Alaska Oil and Gas Association.

“That confidence is critical to advancing responsible development of Alaska’s vast resources, supporting jobs, sustaining the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System, and strengthening U.S. national security in an increasingly uncertain world.”

The National Petroleum Reserve already hosts one massive oil development— the $9-billion Willow project by ConocoPhillips, which was approved by the Biden Administration in 2023, and is expected to start producing oil in 2029. Peak production is designed to be about 180,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude.

Going forward, the development of any additional resources in Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve would not be a fast and easy task. The conditions are harsher than in other areas, while environmentalists have vowed to fight both the latest lease sale and any future oil and gas drilling and development plans.

The Invisible Metals Powering a Trillion-Dollar Economy

Two groups represented by Earthjustice, the Center for Biological Diversity, and Friends of the Earth, restarted litigation last month challenging the lease sales and the underlying management plan, which opens 18.5 million acres within the 23-million-acre Reserve to potential oil and gas drilling and infrastructure.? Three other lawsuits also challenge the lease sale or decisions related to it.

“The results of this sale will spell disaster for the surrounding area,” said Hallie Templeton, Legal Director at Friends of the Earth U.S.?

“We will continue to see the Trump administration in court over its blatant disregard of federal law and complete failure to protect this vulnerable and rapidly shrinking area of our planet.”

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com

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Alaska

Missing and Murdered Indigenous People Awareness Day 2026 – Mike Dunleavy

Published

11 hours ago

May 5, 2026

Press Room

WHEREAS, all Alaskans have the right to safety and justice, and the rates of missing and murdered Indigenous persons (MMIP) represent a crisis that is actively being addressed; and

WHEREAS, Alaska Native women are overrepresented in the domestic violence victim population by 250 percent, and although Alaska Natives comprise 19 percent of Alaska’s population, they represent 47 percent of the State’s reported rape victims; and

WHEREAS, the call for a greater response to the MMIP led to increased communication between tribal communities and State agencies in an effort to better understand the scope of the issue; and

WHEREAS, the State of Alaska now has four MMIP investigators, two tribal liaisons, and dedicates significant resources to address these cases and work with the family members of missing and murdered persons; and

WHEREAS, in 2024 I signed legislation that further moves Alaska’s response forward with mandatory entry of missing persons into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, and requires that the State employ MMIP investigators, and requires that all current and future Alaska law enforcement officers attend cultural diversity training with an emphasis on MMIP; and

WHEREAS, the State of Alaska is committed to continuing its efforts to work with Alaska Tribes in combatting this crisis and offering support to communities and families.

NOW THEREFORE, I, Mike Dunleavy, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF ALASKA, do hereby proclaim May 5, 2026, as:

Missing and Murdered Indigenous People Awareness Day

in Alaska and encourage all Alaskans to recognize the elevated rates of missing and murdered Indigenous persons and support law enforcement, victim advocacy, and the efforts of Alaska Native Tribes to work with State, local, and other entities working together toward solutions.

Dated: May 5, 2026

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Alaska

White House Issues Letter of Support for Gov. Dunleavy’s Alaska LNG Tax Reform Bills – Mike Dunleavy

Published

23 hours ago

May 4, 2026

Press Room

The White House has issued a letter of support for Gov. Dunleavy’s Alaska LNG tax reform bills, noting the national significance of the Alaska LNG project and the importance of tax policy that improves feasibility and attracts private investment.

The letter, from Director of White House Intergovernmental Affairs Alex Meyer, underscores federal recognition of Alaska’s efforts to modernize its tax framework for liquefied natural gas (LNG) development and highlights the importance of these reforms to advancing American energy security and economic growth.

In the letter Meyer said, “Given the scale and complexity of AKLNG, a stable and competitive policy environment is critical to the project’s success. Clear and predictable tax policy will improve feasibility, attract private investment, and help secure final commitments. This approach promotes job creation, expanded economic activity, and durable public revenue.”

“Alaska has long been a cornerstone of America’s energy future, and this support from the White House affirms the importance of getting our LNG tax policy right,” said Governor Dunleavy. “HB 381 and SB 280 provide a clear, predictable, and competitive structure that will help unlock Alaska’s vast natural gas resources, create jobs, and deliver long-term benefits for our state and the nation.”

The volumetric LNG tax bills establish a straightforward tax system based on the volume of gas produced, offering greater certainty to investors and developers and ensuring Alaskans benefit from a secure, low-cost supply of energy.

Governor Dunleavy emphasized that alignment between state and federal leadership is critical to advancing major energy infrastructure projects like Alaska LNG.

“We appreciate the Administration’s recognition of the role Alaska can play in strengthening domestic energy production and supporting our allies abroad,” Dunleavy added.

The Governor continues to work with members of the Alaska Legislature, industry stakeholders, and federal partners to move these bills forward and position Alaska as a global leader in LNG development.

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Alaska

Alaska woman sues troopers, TV network for exploiting her role as a confidential informant

Published

1 day ago

May 4, 2026

Press Room

Alaska woman sues troopers, TV network for exploiting her role as a confidential informant

An Alaska woman is accusing the Alaska Department of Public Safety, two Alaska State Troopers and the A&E Television Network of compromising her privacy and safety as a confidential informant after they filmed an arrest without her consent.

The woman, identified in the filings as Jane Doe, says that she received death threats after she was a confidential informant whose information led to an arrest that was filmed and later aired on the Alaska State Troopers reality show.

Alaska Beacon is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Alaska Beacon maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Claire Stremple for questions: info@alaskabeacon.com.

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