Performance Details
Department of Natural Resources - Oil & Gas
Mission
The Division of Oil and Gas manages lands for oil, gas, and geothermal exploration and development in a fair and transparent manner to maximize prudent use of resources for the greatest benefit of all Alaskans and facilitates safe and environmentally conscious operation and maintenance of common carrier pipelines.
Core Services
- Enforce exploration and development obligations of lease and unit agreements, weighing several factors including resource potential and conservation, environmental and economic impacts, and proposed work commitments.
- Ensure that exploration, leasehold, and unit-related operations are conducted in a timely and responsible manner. Provide for exploration of state land through geophysical exploration permits.
- Administer AS 38.35 leases; revenue collection, permitting, compliance and engineering oversight of construction, operation, maintenance and termination of pipelines. Coordinate with state and federal agencies to serve the state"s best interests.
Mission Results |
Core Services |
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Performance Detail
A: Result -Maximize financial benefit of oil, gas, and geothermal production to the state |
A1: Core Service - Enforce exploration and development obligations of lease and unit agreements, weighing several factors including resource potential and conservation, environmental and economic impacts, and proposed work commitments. |
Target #1: Adjudicate all lease operation and unit actions (formation, expansion, contraction, termination, extension, participating area, tract allocation, & plans of exploration or development) as required by relevant regulation, lease, or unit agreements..
FY 2023 Decisions: Plan of Explorations/Plan of Development: 42 Unit Revision (expansion/contraction): 3 Participating Area (formation/expansion/contraction/tract allocation redeterminations): 1 Unit Formation: 3 Unit Extension: 2 Default/Termination: 2 Miscellaneous Adjudications: 20 Contracts/Contract Amendments: 5 FY 2022 Decisions: Plan of Exploration/Plan of Development: 43 Unit Revision (expansion/contraction): 4 Participating Area (formation/expansion/contraction/tract allocation redeterminations): 9 Unit Formation: 3 Unit Extension: 4 Default/Termination: 0 Miscellaneous Adjudications: 8 Contracts/Contract Amendments: 10 FY 2021 Decisions: Plan of Exploration/Plan of Development: 56 Unit Revision (expansion/contraction): 9 Participating Area (formation/expansion/contraction/tract allocation redeterminations): 6 Unit Formation: 4 Unit Extension: 0 Default/Termination: 1 Miscellaneous Adjudications: 7 Contracts/Contract Amendments: 2 FY 2020 Decisions: Plan of Exploration/Plan of Development: 46 Unit Revision (expansion/contraction): 7 Participating Area (formation/expansion/contraction/tract allocation redeterminations): 7 Unit Formation: 2 Unit Extension: 1 Default/Termination: 4 Miscellaneous Adjudications: 2 Contracts/contract amendments negotiated: 4 FY 2019 Decisions: Plan of Exploration/Plan of Development: 45 Unit Revision (expansion/contraction): 7 Participating Area (formation/expansion/contraction/tract allocation redeterminations): 11 Unit Formation: 0 Unit Extension: 0 Default/Termination: 5 Miscellaneous Adjudications: 2 Contracts/contract amendments negotiated: 7 FY 2018 Decisions: Plan of Exploration/Plan of Development: 47 Unit Revision (expansion/contraction): 9 Participating Area (formation/expansion/contraction/tract allocation redeterminations): 8 Unit Formation: 1 Unit Extension: 0 Default/Termination: 2 Miscellaneous: 7 Target Last Modified: 11/02/2023 |
B: Result -Manage Alaska"s oil, gas, and geothermal resources for responsible exploration and development for maximum benefit to the state. |
Target #1: Provide access to state lands for the purpose of responsible oil, gas, and geothermal exploration and development..
NULL ERRORAnalysis of results and challenges: Note that historical acreage reported may be slightly different from previous reports because of changes in reporting protocols. FY2023: Acreage under lease or license 2,701,696 FY 2022: Acreage under lease or license 3,360,800 FY 2021: Acreage under lease or license 3,828,220 FY 2020: Acreage under lease or license 4,222,123 FY 2019: Acreage under lease or license 4,453,261 FY 2018: Acreage under lease or license 4,996,840 Target Last Modified: 11/02/2023 |
B1: Core Service - Ensure that exploration, leasehold, and unit-related operations are conducted in a timely and responsible manner. Provide for exploration of state land through geophysical exploration permits. |
Target #1: Evaluate and issue 100% of plan authorizations within established timelines for each lease or unit plans of operation..
FY2022: The Permitting Section reviewed 100% of the submitted Plan and Plan Amendment requests with 100% of the authorizations issued within established timelines. In FY2022 the Permitting Section approved one new lease plan of operations, one new unit plan of operations, two easement amendments, two lease development plan amendments, one lease application, three lease amendments, 54 general permit approvals, and 50 plan of operations amendments. FY2021: The Permitting Section reviewed 100% of the submitted Plan and Plan Amendment requests with 100% of the authorizations issued within expected timelines. Four new Plans of Operation (two Lease Plans and two Units Plans of Operation), forty-seven General Permits and fifty Plan Amendments were approved. FY2020: The Permitting Section reviewed 100% of the submitted Plan and Plan Amendment requests with 100% of the authorizations issued within expected timelines. Seven new Plans of Operation (four Lease Plans and three Units Plans of Operation), 48 General Permits and 51 Plan Amendments were reviewed. Seven of seven Lease and Unit Plans were approved, and all General Permits and Plan Amendments were approved as well. FY2019: The Permitting Section reviewed 100% of the submitted Plan and Plan Amendment requests with 96% of the authorizations issued within expected timelines. Five new Plans of Operation (two Lease Plans and three Unit Plans of Operation) and 68 Plan Amendments were reviewed. Five of five Lease and Unit Plans were approved. Sixty-five of 68 Plan Amendments were approved (note: one amendment was closed and processed under a different project and the issues for the other two amendments were negated by the language update in 2018). FY2018: The Permitting Section reviewed 100% of the submitted Plan and Plan Amendment requests with 100% of the authorizations issued within expected timelines. Four new Plans of Operation (two Lease Plans and two Unit Plans of Operation) and 146 Plan Amendments were reviewed. Four of four Lease and Unit Plans were approved. One hundred and forty-four of 146 Plan Amendments were approved; two Plan Amendment applications were closed due to application to the wrong agency. Target Last Modified: 11/02/2023 |
Target #2: Issue permits for geophysical exploration within established timelines (100% Compliance).
NULL ERRORAnalysis of results and challenges: FY2023: Four geophysical exploration permit applications were received, and permits were issued within established timelines. FY2022: Two geophysical exploration applications were received, and permits were issued within the established timelines. FY2021: Zero geophysical permits were received and issued due to COVID-19 restrictions. FY2020: Four geophysical permits were received and issued. FY2019: Four geophysical permits were issued; five applications were received; and one was withdrawn by the applicant. FY2018: Three geophysical permits were issued; five applications were received; one was put on hold; and one was withdrawn. Target Last Modified: 11/02/2023 |
C: Result -Ensure the design, construction, operation and maintenance of jurisdictional pipelines meet regulatory and environmental requirements. |
Target #1: Offer design criteria and safety information to the public to support best management practices for each lease..
FY2022: The Pipeline Section (SPS) conducted reviews of several pipeline modification projects. These projects included reviewing the proposed modifications of pipelines and related facilities, pipeline integrity repairs, changes to service and temporary discontinuance of service. Technical reviews were completed to ensure that each proposal met safety and design criteria as outlined in specific code. Additionally, the section conducted engineering reviews of newly proposed pipelines and has made that information available to the public and industry by way of lease compliance and engineering reporting and Commissioner"s decisions. FY2021: The Pipeline Section (SPS) conducted reviews of several pipeline modification projects and issued two new conditional leases. These projects included reviewing the proposed modifications of pipelines and related facilities, pipeline integrity repairs, changes to service and temporary discontinuance of service. Technical reviews were completed to ensure that each proposal met safety and design criteria as outlined in specific code. Additionally, the section conducted engineering reviews of newly proposed pipelines and has made that information available to the public and industry by way of lease compliance and engineering reporting and Commissioner"s decisions. FY2020: The Pipeline Section (SPS) conducted reviews of several pipeline modification projects. These projects included reviewing the proposed modifications of pipelines and related facilities, pipeline integrity repairs, changes to service and temporary discontinuance of service. Technical reviews were completed to ensure that each proposal met safety and design criteria as outlined in specific code. Additionally, the section conducted engineering reviews of newly proposed pipelines and has made that information available to the public and industry by way of lease compliance and engineering reporting and Commissioner"s decisions. FY2019: The Pipeline Section (SPS) conducted reviews of several pipeline modification projects. These projects included reviewing the proposed modifications of pipelines and related facilities, pipeline integrity repairs, changes to service and temporary discontinuance of service. Technical reviews were completed to ensure that each proposal met safety and design criteria as outlined in specific code. Additionally, the section conducted engineering reviews of newly proposed pipelines and has made that information available to the public and industry by way of lease compliance and engineering reporting and Commissioner"s decisions. FY2018: The Pipeline Section (SPS) conducted reviews of several pipeline modification projects. These projects included reviewing the proposed modifications of pipelines and related facilities, pipeline integrity repairs, changes to service and temporary discontinuance of service. Technical reviews were completed to ensure that each proposal met safety and design criteria as outlined in specific code. Additionally, the section conducted engineering reviews of newly proposed pipelines and has made that information available to the public and industry by way of lease compliance and engineering reporting and Commissioner"s decisions. Target Last Modified: 11/02/2023 |
C1: Core Service - Administer AS 38.35 leases; revenue collection, permitting, compliance and engineering oversight of construction, operation, maintenance and termination of pipelines. Coordinate with state and federal agencies to serve the state"s best interests. |
Target #1: Facilitate and improve regulatory and lease compliance monitoring of AS.38.35 pipelines..
The Pipeline Section (SPS) generally applies a systematic approach to lease compliance inspections based on lessee annual reports and proposed work plans. Each field inspection is conducted according to a project mission developed around lease stipulations and the lessee"s work plans and maintenance activities, or other lease related actions such as amendments, releases of interest, and renewals. Starting in FY 2019, the SPS implemented a Geospatial Information System (GIS) platform that was utilized for gathering field data and pipeline system data while conducting inspections, thus changing some of the metrics originally collected. Additionally, inspections, permit applications, and surveillances were minimized between FY20 and FY21 due to COVID-19 restrictions implemented by lessees and industry, and long-term vacancies in the SPS. Oversight and regulatory actions of pipelines shifted from predominantly fieldwork to remote coordination and digital information sharing. At that time, industry reprioritized routine maintenance of pipelines during COVID-19 restrictions to restrict work that was critical to the safety, environment and integrity of pipelines and deferred routine maintenance to later. During these years, the SPS saw fewer permit applications. In FY22, the SPS has observed activity, including field surveillances and permit applications, more consistent with pre-COVID-19 activities. This is reflected in the metrics of FY22. The metrics provided in this report capture the previous years prior to and during these inconsistencies. In FY23, the SPS has observed activity, including field surveillances and permit applications similar to pre-COVID-19 activities. The metrics provided in this report indicate a decrease from FY22, however, this is due to a change in internal reporting. Target Last Modified: 11/02/2023 |
Last refreshed: 04/26/2024 08:00 am