USA to hold Alaska lease sale

The US Department of the Interior will hold a 900-tract lease sale in Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve, the governmental agency announced on Wednesday.

The auction, to be held on December 6, will be the largest ever for the federal reserve, including more than 40,000 square kilometres of acreage.

“This large and unprecedented sale in Alaska will help achieve our goal of American energy dominance,” said Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke. “Responsible development of petroleum resources in Alaska means creating good-paying local jobs and revenue for the communities while protecting vital subsistence resources that Alaska native communities depend on.”

According to the Bureau of Land Management, oil produced from the area will be transported through the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System.

The announcement follows Tuesday’s news that in March 2018 the department will hold a historic lease sale including more than 311,000 square kilometres off the coasts of Alabama, Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas.