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Released June 04, 2025 | SUGAR LAND
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Written by Daniel Graeber for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Aiming to exploit untapped resources, the Trump administration said it wants to revoke a Biden-era moratorium on oil and gas drilling in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska.
Former President Joe Biden set aside millions of acres in the reserve as "special areas" that would be protected from leasing, while keeping restrictions in place for other parcels. The Interior Department at the time said the step was necessary to protect one of "the most remarkable and healthy landscapes in the world.
The action did not impact existing oil and gas leases in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A), a 23.6 million reserve situated on Alaska's coast with the Arctic Ocean.
President Donald Trump has unraveled much of his predecessor's environmental agenda since returning to the White House. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, a former governor of oil-rich North Dakota, said Biden's measure conflicted with legislation from 1976 that set aside part of the reserve for leasing.
"Congress was clear: The National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska was set aside to support America's energy security through responsible development," Burgum said on Sunday.
ConocoPhillips (Houston, Texas) reached a final investment decision on its Willow oil prospect in Alaska in 2023. The project is in the Bear Tooth development, which sits on Alaska's North Slope in the NPR-A. The government ultimately approved a project with 40% fewer drilling pads, which prompted Conoco to relinquish more than 68,000 acres worth of leases in the development.
Willow is expected to produce around 180,000 barrels of oil per day (BBL/d), with first oil expected by 2029. A 2008 study from the U.S. Geological Survey estimated the Alaskan reserve area holds 8.7 billion barrels of oil and 25 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Project Database can learn more by viewing the related project reports.
The push to reopen the area to drillers, meanwhile, drew praise from industry supporters and legislators alike, with the American Petroleum Institute thanking the Interior Department for steering the nation toward energy dominance.
"Repealing the rule will not weaken our world-class environmental standards, but it will enable Alaska to produce more energy as Congress intended," added Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a Republican on hand to welcome the Washington delegates to Alaska. "The result will be good jobs for Alaskans, more affordable energy for America, and significant new revenues for government."
Alaskan leaders had said Biden's order was a direct assault on a state that depends on oil and gas revenue.
Despite state and federal impetus, Alaska remains a marginal oil and gas producer. The Trump administration, however, is pursuing an export project for liquefied natural gas, though building the infrastructure necessary for the facility is complicated by a warming climate that has shortened the window for construction in the state.
Apart from the challenging climate, Alaskan development may be complicated by legal and protest action. Activists from Greenpeace scaled the Shell plc (London, England) drillship Polar Pioneer in 2015 to protest Alaskan operations. Another drillship, Kulluk, grounded off the Alaskan coast in 2012.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).
Former President Joe Biden set aside millions of acres in the reserve as "special areas" that would be protected from leasing, while keeping restrictions in place for other parcels. The Interior Department at the time said the step was necessary to protect one of "the most remarkable and healthy landscapes in the world.
The action did not impact existing oil and gas leases in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A), a 23.6 million reserve situated on Alaska's coast with the Arctic Ocean.
President Donald Trump has unraveled much of his predecessor's environmental agenda since returning to the White House. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, a former governor of oil-rich North Dakota, said Biden's measure conflicted with legislation from 1976 that set aside part of the reserve for leasing.
"Congress was clear: The National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska was set aside to support America's energy security through responsible development," Burgum said on Sunday.
ConocoPhillips (Houston, Texas) reached a final investment decision on its Willow oil prospect in Alaska in 2023. The project is in the Bear Tooth development, which sits on Alaska's North Slope in the NPR-A. The government ultimately approved a project with 40% fewer drilling pads, which prompted Conoco to relinquish more than 68,000 acres worth of leases in the development.
Willow is expected to produce around 180,000 barrels of oil per day (BBL/d), with first oil expected by 2029. A 2008 study from the U.S. Geological Survey estimated the Alaskan reserve area holds 8.7 billion barrels of oil and 25 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Project Database can learn more by viewing the related project reports.
The push to reopen the area to drillers, meanwhile, drew praise from industry supporters and legislators alike, with the American Petroleum Institute thanking the Interior Department for steering the nation toward energy dominance.
"Repealing the rule will not weaken our world-class environmental standards, but it will enable Alaska to produce more energy as Congress intended," added Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a Republican on hand to welcome the Washington delegates to Alaska. "The result will be good jobs for Alaskans, more affordable energy for America, and significant new revenues for government."
Alaskan leaders had said Biden's order was a direct assault on a state that depends on oil and gas revenue.
Despite state and federal impetus, Alaska remains a marginal oil and gas producer. The Trump administration, however, is pursuing an export project for liquefied natural gas, though building the infrastructure necessary for the facility is complicated by a warming climate that has shortened the window for construction in the state.
Apart from the challenging climate, Alaskan development may be complicated by legal and protest action. Activists from Greenpeace scaled the Shell plc (London, England) drillship Polar Pioneer in 2015 to protest Alaskan operations. Another drillship, Kulluk, grounded off the Alaskan coast in 2012.
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).
