AIDEA Issues Intent to Award Pre-Development Permitting Services for Section 1002 Area Oil & Gas Lease Project
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The Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) issued a notice of intent to award to SAExploration, Inc. (SAE) to perform pre-development permitting and planning work on its Section 1002 Area oil & gas leases following a competitive procurement process. Activities will support a phased, multi-year seismic acquisition program targeted to begin in 2022.
SAE’s subcontractors will support pre-development permitting by providing the following scopes of work:
- Kaktovik Iñupiat Corporation (KIC) – community outreach/stakeholder relations,
- ERC Alaska – environmental and wildlife support, and
- SALA, LLC – permitting support services.
“We remain focused on realizing the promises made and the benefits conferred upon all Alaskans by Congress as part of the Statehood Act, ANCSA and ANILCA, which specifically guaranteed access to Alaska’s resources and welcome the support from SAE and their team of subcontractors to respectfully and responsibly carry out AIDEA’s critical pre-development activities,” says AIDEA Executive Director Alan Weitzner. “KIC will work closely with the local community and subsistence representatives to ensure traditional, local knowledge is incorporated into program activities and prevent disruptions to subsistence users.”
AIDEA firmly believes that the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) prepared for the 1002 Area Lease Sale is comprehensive and appropriately addresses all issues relevant to a leasing phase environmental impacts assessment. The non-wilderness Section 1002 Area of ANWR contains an estimated 7.6 billion barrels of recoverable oil and 7 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. Exploration, development, and production is predicted to generate 1,430 direct jobs and 6,350 indirect jobs annually and 2,480 direct jobs and 10,100 indirect jobs at peak employment.
Support for developing the Section 1002 Area comes from a wide cross-section of Alaskans, including the Voice of the Arctic lñupiat (a non-profit coalition comprised of 24 entities including tribal councils, regional organizations, municipal governments, and Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) corporations located in and around the 1002 Area), Governor Mike Dunleavy, Alaska’s Legislature, and all members of Alaska’s congressional delegation since 1980.
Making History
The track of oil and gas development in Alaska shows the footprints of bold companies and hard-working individuals who shaped the industry in the past and continue to innovate today. The May 2024 issue of Alaska Business explores that history while looking forward to new product development, the energy transition for the fishing fleet, and the ethics of AI tools in business.