The US Bureau of Land Management has discontinued planning for oil and national gas activity in the southwestern portion of the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, citing the "high level of concern" about the potential impact on the western Arctic caribou herd, the agency said Monday.
Residents of the North Slope Bureau expressed concern about oil and gas development's effect on subsistence resources within the 9.2 million-acre portion of the reserve, particularly on the caribou herd whose primary calving area is within the area.
The resource assessment indicated the area contains "limited oil reserves" of about 2.1% of the undiscovered oil in the NPR-A, BLM said. Although the area contains an estimated 27% of the reserve's undiscovered natural gas reserves, the agency said, there is no transportation system to move the gas to market.
Residents of the North Slope Bureau expressed concern about oil and gas development's effect on subsistence resources within the 9.2 million-acre portion of the reserve, particularly on the caribou herd whose primary calving area is within the area.
The resource assessment indicated the area contains "limited oil reserves" of about 2.1% of the undiscovered oil in the NPR-A, BLM said. Although the area contains an estimated 27% of the reserve's undiscovered natural gas reserves, the agency said, there is no transportation system to move the gas to market.
