Energy and mineral resources of Alaska and the impact of federal land policies on their availability

Book · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1974

OSTI ID:7239856

Klein, R M; Lyle, W M; Dobey, P L; O'Connor, K M

Private development of onshore petroleum resources is considered to be severely limited in the future. It is estimated that 42 percent of onshore oil potential land may be closed to private oil and gas development indefinitely due to previous and proposed Federal withdrawals, and another 35 percent may not be open for development for 5 to 10 years. This represents 176,234 square miles of oil potential land. Part I of this report indicates where oil and gas may be located in Alaska, and estimates how much of it can be economically produced. Total resources are estimated to be 76.1 billion barrels of oil and 439.6 trillion cubic feet of gas. Total discovered recoverable reserves are 10.5 billion barrels of oil and 29.7 trillion cubic feet of gas. Cumulative production as of March 1973 was 0.5 billion barrels of oil and 0.6 trillion cubic feet of gas. These figures sum to an estimated total potential ultimate production of onshore and offshore Alaska of 86.6 billion barrels of oil and 469.3 trillion cubic feet of gas. Part II discusses the availability of oil and gas lands in Alaska with regard to present and proposed land use policies. The present impact of the public lands withdrawn under section 17(d) of ANCSA, coupled with previous Federal withdrawals virtually eliminate onshore oil development in Alaska. At the present time approximately 96 percent of the onshore oil potential land in Alaska is not leasable for oil development. This ''freeze'' has been in existence for five years and can continue indefinitely at the discretion of the Secretary of the Interior unless Congress specifically stipulates the land use policies of each area. (LK)

• OSTI ID: 7239856
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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ALASKA
CONTINENTAL SHELF
EXPLORATION
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GOVERNMENT POLICIES
LAND USE
NATURAL GAS DEPOSITS
NORTH AMERICA
PACIFIC NORTHWEST REGION
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
RESOURCES
USA