ACTION ALERT: Support Willow Prospect in NPR-A
Comment Deadline September 20, 2018

 Overview

The extended comment period on the Master Development Plan Environmental Impact Statement (MDP/EIS) for the Willow oil and gas prospect within the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska (NPR-A) closes Thursday, September 20th. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) intends to prepare the MDP/EIS in accordance with recently issued Executive Orders and Secretarial guidance on streamlining and improving the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and other regulatory processes.The action has drawn immediate condemnation from environmental groups who would like to see the oil remain in the ground.

ConocoPhillips has initiated discussions with the BLM regarding potential development of its Willow prospect, which is located on federal oil and gas leases approximately 30 miles west of Nuiqsut. The MDP/EIS will analyze the environmental impacts and appropriate mitigation measures for developing and operating the Willow prospect, which may include one central processing facility, an infrastructure pad, up to five drill pads, access and infield roads, an airstrip, pipelines, a gravel mine, and a temporary island to support module delivery via sealift barges.

Recent exploration indicates there could be 400 million to 750 million barrels of recoverable oil at Willow, with more upside potential. The resource estimate is sufficient to justify a stand-alone hub. First oil is estimated to be achieved by 2024 or 2025 for approximately $2-3 billion spent over the course of four to five years after a final investment decision. It is estimated an additional $3 billion of cumulative capital will be spent over multiple years to maintain production at the facility. 

For more information: https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front-office/eplanning/planAndProjectSite.do?methodName=dispatchToPatternPage&currentPageId=161457

Action Requested
If you haven’t already done so, please submit comments supporting development of the Willow prospect. Comments may be submitted by any of the following methods:

Email:  [email protected]

Mail: Willow MDP/EIS Scoping Comments
Bureau of Land Management
222 West 7th Avenue, Stop #13
Anchorage, AK 99513

Points to Consider:

  • The BLM should include in the MDP/EIS the socio-economic and subsistence benefits of the Willow prospect to the region, state, and nation.

  • Development of the proposed $5 billion project would provide benefits to the local and state economies through local hire for jobs created during construction and operations, tax revenues, federal revenue sharing from royalties and lease rentals/bonuses, and new resources to help meet domestic energy demand. 

  • The proposed Willow project conforms to the BLM’s 2013 Integrated Activity Plan (IAP) which provides a framework for minimizing impacts. The project proponent has collected extensive biological and engineering data since 2017 to inform the Willow EIS process.
  • Oil and gas development in NPR-A could ultimately prove indispensable, given forecasts that predict this nation’s energy demands increasing over ten percent in the next quarter century. Even with dramatic increases in alternative energy sources, the majority of these growing energy demands will continue to be satisfied through use of fossil fuels.
      
  • Production from Willow would serve to help maintain the integrity of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS), a critical link to America’s energy distribution. Given the vast resources believed to be available in NPR-A, future production could reverse the decline in TAPS, allowing it to remain viable for decades.
      
  • Conversely, prohibiting development and production at Willow would set a dangerous precedent for future development in NPR-A, severely compromising the long-term energy and economic security of Alaska and the nation.

  • Production from Willow would help meet the purpose of NPR-A, which is to develop America’s energy resources. The 23-million acre reserve was set aside nearly a century ago for its petroleum value. In an updated report, the U.S. Geological Survey estimates the reserve could hold nearly 9 billion barrels of oil.
  • Industry has made great strides in responsibly designing projects in the Arctic with minimal impact on the environment, wildlife, and subsistence activities.
  • The proposed Willow project minimizes impacts and maintains high standards for safety and emergency response, and leverages contemporary North Slope best management practices to avoid and minimize impacts.

  • Industry employs rigorous standards to protect the environment and subsistence resources. Industry has an excellent track record and a long history of operating responsibly and working with stakeholders on the North Slope and in the Arctic.
  • The BLM should move forward in preparing the MDP/EIS in accordance with the recently issued Executive Orders and Secretarial guidance on streamlining and improving the NEPA and other regulatory processes.

Comment deadline is Thursday, September 20, 2018