NPR-A Legacy Wells Program
Current Status
NEW! Released May 8, 2013:
Draft 2013 Legacy Well Strategic Plan
As part of its continuing commitment to protect public safety and Alaska’s environment, the BLM released a draft strategic plan in May 2013, outlining priorities and actions it will take in the near-term to plug and clean up legacy wells in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A).
New Released May 8, 2013:
The 2013 Legacy Wells Summary Report
Print Version (71MB) | Accessible Version (51MB) | Maps
This summary report documents the current status of each well under BLM management, including site descriptions, photos and condition assessments. This report was used to develop the DRAFT 2013 Legacy Well Strategic Plan, for addressing well clean up.
FACTS
Did you know?
- Since 2002, the Federal government has spent almost $86 million in legacy well plugging activities and surface cleanup of priority legacy wells.
- We have plugged 18 wells and cleaned up contaminated soils where necessary with that funding.
- Iko Bay No. 1 is currently the highest priority for plugging.
- An additional 18 wells are partially plugged and are used and managed by the USGS as climate change monitoring wells.
- Twenty-three wells are on land that has been transferred out of Federal ownership. Nineteen of those were transferred in the Barrow Gas Transfer Act. The remaining five were conveyed to the Arctic Slope Regional Corporation.
- Thirty-five wells are uncased shallow boreholes drilled to assess the geologic characteristics of the permafrost and shallow geologic strata.
- On the remaining 41 legacy well sites, the BLM is developing a strategic plan which identifies the actions necessary for closing all the legacy wells in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska.
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