Alaska Oil and Gas Lease Sales
National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A)
BLM manages more than 22 million acres of surface estate plus the subsurface mineral rights to an additional ~650,000 acres in the ~23 million-acre NPR-A.
The BLM generally conducts annual oil and gas lease sales in the NPR-A. In May 1999, the BLM held its first NPR-A lease sale since 1984, offering nearly 3.9 million acres within the Northeast Planning Area. Since 1999, the BLM has held lease sales in both the Northwest (NW) and Northeast (NE) Planning Areas. A February 2013 Record of Decision (ROD) opened tracts for leasing in the southern NPR-A, and tracts in the far west were created after a 2014 deferral expired.
On April 25, 2022, the Department of the Interior signed a new Record of Decision to guide management of the NPR-A. The ROD adopted Alternative A, the No Action Alternative, as analyzed in the 2020 NPR-A Integrated Activity Plan Final Environmental Impact Statement. The plan adopted by this Decision provides for management consistent with the Integrated Activity Plan approved in the 2013 NPR-A ROD. Under this plan, approximately 11.8 million acres of the NPR-A’s subsurface estate are available for oil and gas leasing. The remaining approximately 11 million acres of the NPR-A are closed to oil and gas leasing under this plan in order to protect and conserve important surface resources and uses in these areas.
NPR-A royalties and other revenue
Passed in 1980, Public Law 96-514 authorized “an expeditious program of competitive leasing of oil and gas” in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A). . The law issued guidance on how and when oil and gas lease sales would happen, but it also gave stipulations about how the related royalties and other revenues would be distributed.
The State of Alaska semiannually gets half of all receipts from lease sales, rentals, bonuses and royalties from oil and gas operations in the NPR-A, but not as unrestricted funds. According to PL 96-514, the state receives the funds for:
“(a) planning, (b) construction, maintenance, and operation of essential public facilities, and (c) other necessary provisions of public service: Provided further, [emphasis theirs] that in the allocation of such funds, the State shall give priority to use by subdivisions of the State most directly or severely impacted by development of oil and gas leased under this Act.”
Each affected community applies to the state for funds through the National Petroleum Reserve – in Alaska Impact Mitigation Grant Program, administered by the Alaska Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development’s Division of Community and Regional Affairs. The federal government has no role in how those funds are ultimately distributed among the applicants.
Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
The 1,563,500-acre Coastal Plain is highly prospective for oil and gas resources, estimated to contain between 4.25 and 11.8 billion barrels of technically recoverable oil. The entire oil program area will be made available to oil and gas leasing subject to applicable lease stipulations and required operating procedures.
The BLM conducted its first lease sale in the Coastal Plain of ANWR Jan. 6, 2021, pursuant to the Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program August 2020 Record of Decision (ROD) with any future oil and gas development actions requiring a separate detailed environmental analysis.
Secretary of the Interior Order 3401: In June 2021 suspended all activities related to implementing the Coastal Plain Oil and Gas Leasing Program pending completion of a comprehensive analysis under the National Environmental Policy Act.
An Aug. 4, 2021, Federal Register notice of intent to prepare a supplemental environmental impact statement initiated the scoping process to begin the comprehensive analysis of potential environmental impacts, including addressing deficiencies identified in the Secretary’s order.
View current and recent oil and gas lease sale notices and results below.
- 2021 Lease Sale
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Coastal Plain Lease Sale Jan.6, 2021 sealed bid
Lease Sale
- 2021 Coastal Plain Lease Sale Bid Recap (1/6/2021)
- 2021 Coastal Plain Lease Sale Results Map (1/6/2021)
- 2021 Coastal Plain Lease Sale Bid History (1/6/2021)
- 2021 Coastal Plain Lease Sale Tracts Offered Map (12/18/2020)
- 2021 Detailed Statement of Sale AMENDMENT (12/18/2020)
- Download 2021 Coastal Plain Lease Sale Substantive Public Comments (37 files, 183 MB, .zip file)
- 2021 Coastal Plain Lease Sale Federal Register Notice
Call for Nominations
- Call for Nominations GIS Data for Lease Tracts Available
- Lease Sale Call for Nominations - Tracts Available Map
- Lease Sale Call for Nominations & Comments Instructions
- Lease Sale Call for Nominations & Comments Submission Worksheet
- Lease Sale Call for Nominations Federal Register Notice
- NPR-A 2019 Lease Sale
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NPR-A Lease Sale Dec. 11, 2019 sealed bid
- 2019 NPR-A Lease Sale Bid Recap (12/11/2019)
- 2019 NPR-A Lease Sale Tract Results Map (12/11/2019)
- 2019 NPR-A Lease Sale Shape Files for Download (12/11/2019)
- 2019 NPR-A Lease Sale Federal Register Notice
- 2019 NPR-A Lease Sale Tracts Offered Map
- 2019 Detailed Statement of Sale 2019 Determination of NEPA Adequacy
- 2019 NPR-A Lease Sale Call for Nominations - Tracts Available Map
- 2019 NPR-A Lease Sale Call for Nominations & Comments Instructions
- 2019 NPR-A Lease Sale Call for Nominations & Comments Submission Worksheet
- 2019 NPR-A Lease Sale Call for Nominations Federal Register Notice
- NPR-A 2018 Lease Sale
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NPR-A Lease Sale Dec. 12, 2018 sealed bid
- 2018 NPR-A Lease Sale Bid Recap (12/12/2018)
- 2018 NPR-A Lease Sale Tract Results Map (12/12/2018)
- 2018 NPR-A Lease Sale Shape Files for Download (12/12/2018)
- 2018 NPR-A Lease Sale Federal Register Notice
- 2018 NPR-A Lease Sale Tracts Offered Map 2018 Detailed Statement of Sale - Updated Exhibit B (11/13/2018)
- 2018 Determination of NEPA Adequacy
- 2018 NPR-A Lease Sale Call for Nominations - Tracts Available Map
- 2018 NPR-A Lease Sale Call for Nominations & Comments Instructions
- 2018 NPR-A Lease Sale Call for Nominations & Comments Submission Worksheet
- 2018 NPR-A Lease Sale Call for Nominations Federal Register Notice
- NPR-A 2017 Lease Sale
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- 2017 NPR-A Lease Sale Bid Recap (12/7/2017)
- 2017 NPR-A Lease Sale Tract Results Map (12/7/2017)
- 2017 NPR-A Lease Sale Shape Files for Download (12/7/2017)
- 2017 NPR-A Lease Sale Bids Received Map
- 2017 Determination of NEPA Adequacy
- 2017 Correction notice for the NPR-A Detailed Statement of Sale
- 2017 NPR-A Lease Sale Tracts Offered Map
- 2017 NPR-A Lease Sale Federal Register Notice
- 2017 Detailed Statement of Sale
- 2017 NPR-A Lease Public Comment Summary
- 2017 NPR-A Lease Sale Call for Nominations- Tracts Available Map (6/16/2017)
- 2017 NPR-A Lease Sale Call for Nominations Comments Instructions
- 2017 NPR-A Lease Sale Call for Nominations Comments Submission Worksheet
- 2017 NPR-A Lease Sale Call for Nominations Federal Register Notice
- NPR-A 2016 Lease Sale
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- 2016 NPR-A Lease Sale Bid Recap (12/14/2016)
- 2016 NPR-A Lease Sale Tract Results Map (12/14/2016)
- 2016 NPR-A Lease Sale Shape Files for Download
- 2016 NPR-A Lease Sale Tracts Offered Map
- 2016 Correction notice for the NPR-A Detailed Statement of Sale
- 2016 NPR-A Lease Sale Federal Register Notice
- 2016 Detailed Statement of Sale
- 2016 Determination of NEPA Adequacy
- 2016 NPR-A Lease Sale Call for Nominations- Tracts Available Map (3/31/2016)
- 2016 NPR-A Lease Sale Call for Nominations Comments Instructions
- 2016 NPR-A Lease Sale Call for Nominations Comments Submission Worksheet
- 2016 NPR-A Lease Sale Call for Nominations Federal Register Notice
- NPR-A 2015 Lease Sale
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- 2015 NPR-A Lease Sale Bid Recap (11/18/2015)
- 2015 NPR-A Lease Sale Tract Results Map (11/18/2015)
- 2015 NPR-A Lease Sale Shape Files for Download
- Determination of NEPA Adequacy
- 2015 NPR-A Lease Sale Tracts Offered Map
- Correction Notice to Detailed Statement of Sale 2015-H-165
- 2015 NPR-A Detailed Statement of Sale
- 2015 NPR-A Lease Sale Call for Nominations- Tracts Available Map (3/10/2015)
- Shape files-2015 NPR-A Lease Sale Call for Nominations and Comments - Available Tracts
- 2015 NPR-A Lease Sale Call for Nominations Comments Instructions
- 2015 NPR-A Lease Sale Call for Nominations Comments Submission Worksheet
- 2015 NPR-A Lease Sale Call for Nominations Federal Register Notice
- NPR-A 2014 Lease Sale
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- 2014 NPR-A Lease Sale Bid Recap (11/19/2014)
- 2014 NPR-A Lease Sale Tract Results Map (11/19/2014)
- 2014 NPR-A Lease Sale Shape Files for Download
- Determination of NEPA Adequacy
- 2014 NPR-A Lease Sale Tracts Offered Map (9/26/2014)
- 2014 NPR-A Detailed Statement of Sale (9/26/2014)
- 2014 NPR-A Lease Sale Call for Nominations and Comments - Available Tract Map (6/3/2014)
- Shape files-2014 NPR-A Lease Sale Call for Nominations and Comments - Available Tracts
- 2014 NPR-A Lease Sale Call for Nominations Comments Instructions
- 2014 NPR-A Lease Sale Call for Nominations Comments Submission Worksheet
- 2014 NPR-A Lease Sale Call for Nominations Federal Register Notice
- NPR-A 2013 Lease Sale
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- 2013 NPR-A Lease Sale Bid Recap (11/6/2013)
- 2013 NPR-A Lease Sale Tract Results Map (11/6/2013)
- 2013 NPR-A Lease Sale Shape Files for Download
- 2013 NPR-A Lease Sale Tracts Offered Map (9/30/2013)
- 2013 NPR-A Detailed Statement of Sale (9/30/2013)
- 2013 NPR-A Lease Sale Call for Nominations and Comments - Available Tract Map (5/31/2013)
- 2013 NPR-A Lease Sale Call for Nominations Comments Submission Instructions
- 2013 NPR-A Lease Sale Call for Nominations Comments Submission Worksheet
- 2013 NPR-A Oil & Gas Current Lease Report
- 2013 NPR-A Lease Sale Call for Nominations Federal Register Notice
- NPR-A 2012 Lease Sale
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- 2012 NPR-A Lease Sale Bid Recap (11/7/2012)
- 2012 NPR-A Lease Sale Tract Results Map (11/7/2012)
- 2012 NPR-A Lease Sale Shape Files for Download
- UPDATED 2012 NPR-A Lease Sale Tract Removal and Tract Description (10/18/2012)
- 2012 NPR-A Lease Sale and Offered Tracts Map (10/18/2012)
- 2012 NPR-A Detailed Statement of Sale (10/5/2012)
- 2012 NPR-A Lease Sale Tract Map 10/05/2012
- 2012 NPR-A Lease Sale Call for Nominations and Comments - Available Tract Map (5-21-2012)
- NPR-A 2011 Lease Sale
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- 2011 NPR-A Lease Sale Bid Recap
- 2011 NPR-A Lease Sale Tract Results Map
- 2011 NPR-A Lease Sale Shape Files for Download
- Updated 2011 Exhibit I Lease Sale Bid Form and Envelope
- CORRECTION NOTICE 2011 NPR-A Detailed Statement of Sale
- 2011 NPR-A Lease Sale- Detail Statement of Sale
- 2011 NPR-A Proposed Lease Sale Tracts Map 09-19-2011
- 2011 NPR-A Lease Sale Call for Nominations and Comments - Available Tract Map
- NPR-A 2010 Lease Sale
- NPR-A 2008 Lease Sale
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- 2008 NE & NW NPR-A Lease Sale Bid Recap - Spreadsheet
- 2008 NE & NW NPR-A Successful Bidders - Spreadsheet
- 2008 NE NPR-A Lease Sale Results - Map
- 2008 NW NPR-A Lease Sale Results - Map
- 2008 NE & NW NPR-A Correction to Notice of Detailed Statement of Sale 9/4/2008
- 2008 NE NPR-A Notice of Correction of Detailed Statement of Sale - 8/28/2008
- 2008 NE & NW NPR-A Detailed Statement of Sale - Doc
- 2008 NE NPR-A Lease Sale Tracts Offered - Map
- 2008 NW NPR-A Lease Sale Tracts Offered - Map
- NPR-A 2006 Lease Sale
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- 2006 NW NPR-A Oil and Gas Lease Sale Bid Recap - Spreadsheet
- 2006 NW NPR-A Oil and Gas Lease Sale Successful Bidders - Spreadsheet
- 2006 NW NPR-A Oil and Gas Lease Sale Results - Map
- 2006 NW NPR-A Oil and Gas Lease Sale Final Detailed Statement of Sale
- 2006 NW NPR-A Oil and Gas Lease Sale Tracts Offered - Map
- NPR-A 2004 Lease Sale
- NPR-A 2002 Lease Sale
- NPR-A 1999 Lease Sale