Alaska Petroleum Research
NPR-A and Petroleum Systems throughout Alaska
The Alaska Petroleum Systems project has three main objectives:
(A) conduct research that increases our understanding of Alaska petroleum systems,
(B) conduct assessments of undiscovered oil and gas resources, and
(C) deliver energy-resource information to land and resource managers, policy makers, and the public.
The project is an effort that emphasizes a balance between fundamental research and mission-critical achievements. Fundamental research (regional sequence stratigraphic and structural framework, distribution and quality of source rocks, geochronologic and thermochronologic history of critical regions, etc.) is essential because Alaska remains an underexplored energy frontier. Thus, a robust petroleum-systems framework is the key to understanding regional petroleum potential, completing our mission-critical work (mainly assessments of undiscovered petroleum resources), and responding quickly to information requests regarding new and emerging oil and gas activities (e.g., new discoveries and development of transitional reservoirs). Since 2017 the project has concentrated on complying with Department of the Interior Secretarial Order 3352, which directs the USGS to update a series of assessments across the entire Alaska North Slope. This website illustrates the breadth and depth of recently completed and ongoing research.
The USGS in 2020 completed an assessment of undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and gas resources in Alaska’s Central North Slope. Estimated means of 3.6 billion barrels of oil and 8.9 trillion cubic feet of natural gas (associated and non-associated) in conventional accumulations in Mississippian through Paleogene strata of State and Native lands and State waters. This assessment does not include discoveries made by industry between 2013 and 2017. Below is a list of other USGS assessments in Alaska:
- NEW - Assessment of Undiscovered Oil and Gas Resources in the Central North Slope of Alaska (2020)
- Assessment of undiscovered gas hydrate resources in the North Slope of Alaska (2018)
- Susitna Basin, Southern Alaska (2018)
- National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPRA) (2017)
- Upper Cook Inlet Basin (2015)
- Alaska North Slope Assessment (2012)
- National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (now superseded) (2010)
- Gas Hydrates (2008)
- Circum-Arctic Resource Appraisal (2008)
- Central North Slope (2005)
- Coalbed Methane of Northern Alaska (2006)
- Yukon Flats (2003)
- Arctic National Wildlife Refuge - ANWR-1002 Area (1998)
The Alaska Petroleum Systems project has three main objectives:
(A) conduct research that increases our understanding of Alaska petroleum systems,
(B) conduct assessments of undiscovered oil and gas resources, and
(C) deliver energy-resource information to land and resource managers, policy makers, and the public.
The project is an effort that emphasizes a balance between fundamental research and mission-critical achievements. Fundamental research (regional sequence stratigraphic and structural framework, distribution and quality of source rocks, geochronologic and thermochronologic history of critical regions, etc.) is essential because Alaska remains an underexplored energy frontier. Thus, a robust petroleum-systems framework is the key to understanding regional petroleum potential, completing our mission-critical work (mainly assessments of undiscovered petroleum resources), and responding quickly to information requests regarding new and emerging oil and gas activities (e.g., new discoveries and development of transitional reservoirs). Since 2017 the project has concentrated on complying with Department of the Interior Secretarial Order 3352, which directs the USGS to update a series of assessments across the entire Alaska North Slope. This website illustrates the breadth and depth of recently completed and ongoing research.
The USGS in 2020 completed an assessment of undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and gas resources in Alaska’s Central North Slope. Estimated means of 3.6 billion barrels of oil and 8.9 trillion cubic feet of natural gas (associated and non-associated) in conventional accumulations in Mississippian through Paleogene strata of State and Native lands and State waters. This assessment does not include discoveries made by industry between 2013 and 2017. Below is a list of other USGS assessments in Alaska:
- NEW - Assessment of Undiscovered Oil and Gas Resources in the Central North Slope of Alaska (2020)
- Assessment of undiscovered gas hydrate resources in the North Slope of Alaska (2018)
- Susitna Basin, Southern Alaska (2018)
- National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPRA) (2017)
- Upper Cook Inlet Basin (2015)
- Alaska North Slope Assessment (2012)
- National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (now superseded) (2010)
- Gas Hydrates (2008)
- Circum-Arctic Resource Appraisal (2008)
- Central North Slope (2005)
- Coalbed Methane of Northern Alaska (2006)
- Yukon Flats (2003)
- Arctic National Wildlife Refuge - ANWR-1002 Area (1998)