BLM-Alaska Energy Program
The BLM-Alaska Energy Program is responsible for the administration of leasable federal minerals including oil and gas, phosphates, coal, coalbed natural gas, oil shale, and geothermal resources. To explore, develop and produce leasable minerals from federal lands, a federal lease must be obtained.
Oil and gas is the only leasable mineral being produced on federal lands in Alaska. The administration and management of oil and gas on federal lands is subject to several specific laws and regulations. These allow and govern the exploration and development of the mineral estate but also provide for protecting the health and safety of the public and protecting surface resources such as wildlife and wildlife habitat.
The primary responsibilities of BLM-Alaska's Energy Program include:
- Conducting pre-lease assessments; post-lease sale bid evaluations in the National Petroleum Reserve–Alaska (NPR-A)
- Permitting oil and gas exploration and development activities
- Protecting federal lands from drainage of oil and gas from wells drilled on non-federal lands
- Administering federal oil and gas units units
- Inspecting industry operations for compliance with regulations, lease terms, and permit conditions
- Conducting mineral evaluations and development scenarios for land exchanges, sales or disposals, Resource Management Plans (RMPs), Environmental Impact Statements (EISs), and land use plans developed by other federal agencies.
NEW! Effective November 2, 2009, the BLM increased the Application for Permit to Drill (APD) processing fee to $6500
