Arctic Winter Exploration

1. Only 8% of ANWR would be considered for exploration. - Only the 1.5 million acre 10-02 Area (8% of ANWR’s total area), is being considered for exploration.  The remaining 17.5 million acres of ANWR is permanently off limits to any exploration.  If oil is discovered, current legislation allows only 2000 acres of the 10-02 Area can be used for surface structures.  That’s less than half of 1% of ANWR’s total area can be impacted by an oil field.

2. Revenues to the State and Federal Treasury - Federal revenues would be enhanced by billions of dollars from bonus bids, lease rentals, royalties and taxes.  Lease sale revenues alone are estimates by the Office of Management and Budget at between $4-6 billion.  Royalties and taxes are estimated @$60per barrel to be between $48-$142 billion, and @ $100 per barrel to be between $85-237 billion.

3. Jobs to be Created – Between 250,000 and 750,000 jobs are estimated to be created by development of the ANWR Coastal Plain.  Every state in the nation would be impacted by this.

4. Economic Impact – Between 1977 and 2004 North Slope oil field development and production activity contribute over $50 billion to the nations economy, directly impacting each state.  Almost all products and infrastructure used in Arctic oil field production come from outside Alaska.

5. America’s Best Chance for a Major Discovery – The United States Geological Survey (USGS) 1998 study on ANWR shows the 10-02 Area Coastal Plain of ANWR has the highest potential for a super-large oil field of any other place on the North American continent.  If you are going to explore for oil, the best chance to find it, in the largest quantity, with the smallest footprint would be the 10-02 Area.

6. North Slope Production in Decline – Oil from Prudhoe Bay oil fields only 50 miles to the west of ANWR have been in decline for nearly a decade (view chart).  The Trans-Alaska Pipeline (TAPS) is 1/3rd full at 700,000 bpd.  Alaskan North Slope oil supplies the West Coast of America and without new oil the TAPS will eventually be shut down and removed by law, thus stranding ANWR oil.

7. Imported Oil Too Costly – Today the US imports 60% of our oil from abroad.  That represents over $400 billion dollars a year being sent abroad.  Oil imports are the single largest contributor to our national debt.  Every barrel of ANWR oil would replace a barrel imported from abroad.  With ANWR oil the jobs, the money, and the infrastructure stay at home.

8. No Negative Impact to Animals – Oil and gas development and wildlife are successfully coexisting in Alaska’s Arctic.  The Central Arctic Caribou Herd migrates directly through the Prudhoe Bay oil field has grown from 5000 animals in the early 70s to well over 32,000 animals today.  The Arctic oil fields are monitored daily by State and Federal wildlife specialists and are home to a very healthy brown bear, fox, musk oxen, bird and fish populations equal or better to their surrounding areas.

9. Arctic Technology = Advanced Technology – Arctic exploration technology is the most advanced in the world.  It represents the cutting edge in minimal impact with maximum return.  Advanced drilling technology has allowed the footprint of development to shrink over 64% in the past 30 years while doubling technical rates of return to over 60%. ANWR development would increase and better this trend.

10. Alaskans Support – More than 72% of Alaskans favor exploration and production on the Coastal Plain of ANWR.  Over the past 30 years nearly every member of the democratically elected Alaska State Legislature, every Alaskan Congressional delegate, and every Alaskan Governor has supported environmentally sensitive development of the 10-02 Area of ANWR.