Alaska Department of Natural Resources
Division of Oil and Gas
Public Notice of Application to Form the Smith Bay Unit
The Department of Natural Resources gives notice under 11 AAC 83.311 of an application to form the Smith Bay Unit (SBU) area. The proposed unit formation area is located north of the National Petroleum Reserve – Alaska (NPR–A). Caelus Energy Alaska Smith Bay, LLC. (Caelus), the SBU Operator, filed an initial Application on behalf of itself and the other Working Interest Owner, L 71 Resources, LLC., with the Division of Oil and Gas on October 10, 2022. The Application was deemed complete on October 26, 2023. Caelus’s address is 560 E 34th Avenue, Ste. 200, Anchorage, AK 99503.
The proposed Unit will encompass 117,094 acres of State land within the shallow waters of Smith Bay and includes all or portions of the following:
T. 19 N., R. 09 W, U.M., secs. 19 thru 23; 25 thru 36
T. 19 N., R. 10 W, U.M., secs. 20 thru 24; 30 thru 25; & 31 thru 36
T. 18 N., R. 08 W, U.M., secs. 1 thru 34
T. 18 N., R. 09 W, U.M., All.
T. 18 N., R. 10 W, U.M., secs. 1 thru 36
T. 17 N., R. 08 W, U.M., secs. 3 thru 10; 16 thru 21; & 29 thru 31
T. 17 N., R. 09 W, U.M., secs. 1 thru 18; 21 thru 27; & 34 thru 36
T. 17 N., R. 10 W, U.M., secs. 1 thru 6; & 8 thru 17
T. 16 N., R. 09 W, U.M., secs. 2 thru 4
You may review the non-confidential portions of the application on the Division’s website at http://dog.dnr.alaska.gov/Library/, in-person at the Division’s office, or by writing to Division of Oil & Gas, Units Section, 550 West 7th Avenue, Suite 1100, Anchorage, Alaska 99501-3560. The Division charges a photocopy fee of $.25 per sheet, per 11 AAC 05.030(a)(3)(A).
Any person may file written comments on the application. Comments must be received by 4:30 p.m., December 2, 2023, and should be mailed to the Division of Oil and Gas, attention Kevin Pike, Unit Manager, at the above address, or emailed to DOG.Units@alaska.gov. The Department will consider all timely written comments and evaluate the application based on the criteria in 11 AAC 83.303 and 83.336(a)(2). After the close of the comment period, the Department will issue a written decision to approve or deny the unit formation application. Individuals or groups of people with disabilities, who require special accommodations, auxiliary aids or services, or alternative communication formats, please contact Lorence Williams at (907) 269-8507, or TDD (907) 269-8411 (5 days before end of comment period).
This notice also appears on the State of Alaska website at: http://dnr.alaska.gov/commis/pic/pubnotfrm.
Published: November 2, 2023