[thackney]

That is not oil. Methane Hydrates are pure natural gas traped inside a latice of ice. There have been limited attempts to produce them on the North Slope. But with the successful production of the shale gas fields, they do not compete economically with gas from the lower 48.

These are typically found at the bottom edge of the permafrost in this area. BP has completed a production test; ConocoPhillips have done one as well. They were at least partially funded by us taxpayers on a government program.

[El Laton Caliente]

That was the best quick map I could find. By survey drilling there is a MUCH larger field in ANWR than Prudoe. The Naval Oil Researve covers most of the area surrounding and south of Barrow and it has several Prudoe size fields. Preliminary exploration in the Artic Ocean has found fields out more that 50 miles almost everywhere they looked.

None of it is in production.