Despite the fact that the Trans-Alaskan Pipeline System (TAPS) is operating at just under half capacity, Alaskan energy firms are continuing to invest in Arctic oil and gas exploration projects at a greater rate than ever before. Fox Petroleum this week announced the acquisition and planning of new leases only a few miles from the ANWR 10-02 Area border near BP Exploration’s Badami oil field. The new acquisition of 4 tracks of land (about 9,000 acres) leased by Fox will be added to earlier lease acquisitions southwest of Prudhoe Bay which together are estimated to contain 160 million barrels of oil. Fox will pay a 16.67% royalty to the state on resources it develops plus a 25% production tax to the State of Alaska.
Alaska is on the verge of starting North America’s largest construction project, the Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline. The project is currently under a proposal and authorization process at the state level and will possibly be approved by the Alaska Legislature this summer. At a cost of between 20-40 billion dollars this will be the most expensive construction project in American history.