December NPR-A oil and gas lease sale bid opening to be video livestreamed
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ANCHORAGE— The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Alaska will open sealed bids submitted on the tracts offered for the oil and gas lease sale in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A) at 1 p.m. (AKST) on Dec. 6 via video livestream at www.blm.gov/live.
In keeping with the Administration’s goal of strengthening America’s energy independence, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Alaska offered 900 tracts, covering 10.3 million acres, for this year’s sale.
The December 6, 2017, sale will be the 13th in the NPR-A since 1999. The 900 tracts constitute all the tracts designated as available for development in the 2013 Record of Decision for the Integrated Activity Plan/Environmental Impact Statement for the NPR-A. There are currently 189 authorized leases in the NPR-A, covering more than 1,372,688 acres. Bids received for the 12 previous sales generated more than $280 million, half of which was paid to the State of Alaska. These lease sales strengthen domestic energy production and contribute to the country’s energy independence.
From Aug. 7 through Sept. 6 of this year, the BLM sought public input and nominations for tracts to be leased within the NPR-A. The BLM received numerous comments and nominations for tracts that are available and for those not currently available for leasing. A detailed statement of sale, including a description of the tracts offered for lease, the lease terms, conditions and special stipulations is available at https://on.doi.gov/2fgHGRq.
Video livestreaming the event provides a greater availability to the public. Members of the public without internet access can listen to the audio only transmission by calling 1-800-369-1723 and entering the passcode 2295386.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 western states, including Alaska, on behalf of the American people. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. Our mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.