Appeals judges approve drilling for oil in NPR-A

Anchorage Daily News ^ | July 26, 2006 | DAN JOLING

[thackney]

DEFEAT: Challengers had tried to limit development on environmental grounds.

A federal appeals court Wednesday affirmed a decision that clears the way for oil drilling in part of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska.

A three-judge panel from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals backed a ruling by Judge James K. Singleton Jr. of Anchorage in January 2005 that rejected efforts by a coalition of environmental groups to increase wildlife protections in the northwest section of the 23.5-million-acre NPR-A.

"We're certainly disappointed in the decision," said Stan Senner, executive director of Alaska Audubon. "We think BLM failed to consider a range of alternatives in the northwest NPR-A."

The decision affects 8.8 million acres south and west of Barrow, Senner said.

Singleton in January 2005 found that the environmental groups failed to make their case that the government, which is leasing land for oil and gas drilling in the reserve, violated environmental and other laws.

The groups included Northern Alaska Environmental Center, the National Audubon Society, The Wilderness Society, Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, Alaska Wilderness League and the Center for Biological Diversity.

The coalition in 2004 sued U.S. Interior Secretary Gale Norton, who has since resigned.

The coalition later asked Singleton to block a planned lease sale in the northwest NPR-A, one of three sections in the reserve. The judge denied the request and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management went ahead with the lease sale. It drew nearly $54 million in winning bids from oil companies.

The appeal was heard before Chief Judge Mary M. Schroeder, who wrote the opinion, and Circuit Judges Arthur L. Alarcon and Andrew J. Kleinfeld.

The environmental groups said the government had failed to sufficiently evaluate specific sites for environmental consequences.

The groups also said the statement failed to sufficiently consider alternatives and mitigation measures...

[thackney]

The Bureau of Land Management has been leasing lands south and west of Barrow in Alaska's National Petroleum Reserve for oil and gas drilling.

Photo by ANNE RAUP / Daily News archive 1997

[thackney]

[thackney]

Map of northern Alaska showing locations and relative sizes of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPRA) and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). ANWR’s 1002 Area was evaluated for petroleum potential by the USGS in 1998. The Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) and “feeder” pipelines extending east and west of Prudhoe Bay show the extent of existing petroleum infrastructure. Locations of the Alpine and Prudhoe Bay oil fields and the Point Thomson gas and oil accumulation also are shown.

[thackney]

U.S. Geological Survey 2002 Petroleum Resource Assessment of the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPRA)

A new USGS assessment concludes that NPRA holds signicantly greater petroleum resources than previously estimated. Technically recoverable, undiscovered oil beneath the Federal part of NPRA likely ranges between 5.9 and 13.2 billion barrels, with a mean (expected) value of 9.3 billion barrels. An estimated 1.3 to 5.6 billion barrels of those technically recoverable oil resources is economically recoverable at market prices of $22 to $30 per barrel. Technically recoverable, undiscovered nonassociated natural gas for the same area likely ranges between 39.1 and 83.2 trillion cubic feet, with a mean (expected) value of 59.7 trillion cubic feet. The economic viability of this gas will depend on the availability of a natural-gas pipeline for transport to market.

[Mrs. Shawnlaw]

Could I possibly put dibbs on a 1000 barrels at 50 bucks a barrel?

[thackney]

As you can tell by the prices considered, the study is a little dated.

[thackney]

Sure, just bid on your lease and bring up your drill rigs. We have several smaller independents now competing in the North Slope Market.

[nuke rocketeer]

"We're certainly disappointed in the decision," said Stan Senner, executive director of Alaska Audubon. "We think BLM failed to consider a range of alternatives in the northwest NPR-A." What are the alternatives to drilling? Magical tranportation from underground? Solar drills?

[Foolsgold]

I believe that if the President would announce that we will immediately start drilling in the shale oil found in Utah Colorado, ANWAR, Texas Gulf Florida shelf and where ever else it make sense, the price of oil futures would drop drastically

[hosepipe]

Good informative work.. Thanks..

[Recovering_Democrat]

Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet, sweet crude.