119 U.S. House Members Offer Support for Expanded OCS Access

In a letter sent to Interior Sec. Ryan Zinke today on the development of a new 2019-2024 offshore energy leasing program, 118 U.S. House Republicans and 1 U.S. House Democrat (Gene Green [TX]) urged the government to “fully consider all OCS lands, including those not part of the current [leasing] program, to ensure opportunities are […]

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U.S. Senators Offer Support for Offshore Energy Development

Thirty-six members of the U.S. Senate today sent a letter to Interior Sec. Ryan Zinke urging him to “carefully review” areas not included in the 2017-2022 OCS Oil and Gas Leasing Program “to ensure that opportunities are not missed,” adding that the development of the new 2019-2024 program will “provide a meaningful review to guarantee that the offshore leasing program contributes […]

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BOEM Approves Beaufort Sea Exploration Plan

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management today announced its conditional approval of Eni’s plan to drill into federal waters in the Beaufort Sea from a pre-existing gravel island in Alaska state waters.  Eni’s proposed activities would involve the use of four exploration wells, two mainbores, and two sidetracks, with drilling commencing on December 10, 2017 and […]

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U.S. House Subcmte. Holds Oversight Hearing on Offshore O&G Development

During an oversight hearing on “Evaluating Federal Offshore Oil and Gas Development on the Outer Continental Shelf” held today, the U.S. House Natural Resources Subcommittee on Energy and Mineral Resources heard from witnesses regarding access to the nation’s offshore oil and gas resources. In addition to Acting Asst. Interior Sec. for Land and Minerals Management Katharine […]

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President Announces Development of New Offshore Energy Leasing Program

During a speech on “Unleashing American Energy” at the U.S. Department of Energy, President Trump on Thursday announced a series of actions designed to achieve American energy dominance, including creating a new offshore oil and gas leasing program in which “America will be allowed to access the vast energy wealth located right off our shores.” In conjunction with the speech, […]

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DOI Holds Successful Cook Inlet Lease Sale

The U.S. Bureau of Ocean Energy Management today announced the results of Cook Inlet Lease Sale 244 held earlier in the day in Anchorage, AK.  Hilcorp Alaska submitted over $3 million in high bids for 14 tracts covering over 76,000 acres. Interior Sec. Ryan Zinke’s Counselor for Energy Policy Vincent DeVito called the lease sale “the latest […]

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Comments Sought on Beaufort Sea Exploration Plan

The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management today announced that it is seeking comments on an Exploration Plan submitted by Eni to drill into federal waters in the Beaufort Sea from a pre-existing gravel island in Alaska state waters.  Eni’s proposed activities would involve the use of four exploration wells, two mainbores, and two sidetracks, with drilling […]

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CBC: Driving to the Top of the World: Exploring Canada’s New Arctic Highway

CBC News today reported that with work on the Inuvik-Tuktoyaktuk Highway to be completed in 2017, “you’ll soon be able to drive to the top of the world.”  According to the report, later this year in November, “it will be possible for the first time in history to drive to the top of Canada’s mainland year round,” and […]

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Daily Mail: Russia Unveils New Arctic Military Base

The Daily Mail today wrote about Russia’s new military base in the Arctic that can house up to 150 troops in addition to nuclear-ready aircraft.  The article notes that the base opening “comes as part of Russia’s largest Arctic military push since the fall of the Soviet Union and as Moscow moves to lay claim […]

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U.S. Senator Introduces Offshore Energy Bill

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) today introduced the OPENS Alaska Act (S. 883), a bill that would repeal President Obama’s indefinite withdrawals of the Chukchi Sea and most of the Beaufort Sea from future oil and natural gas leasing, require lease sales in the Chukchi/Beaufort Seas and Cook Inlet, establish 20-year lease terms for Chukchi and […]

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