Notice of Public Hearing
STATE OF ALASKA
ALASKA OIL AND GAS CONSERVATION COMMISSION
RE: Docket Number: AEO-25-001
Hilcorp Alaska, LLC Application for Expansion of Aquifer Exemption Order 2, Milne Point Field, Milne Point Unit, North Slope Borough, Alaska
Hilcorp Alaska, LLC (Hilcorp), by application dated March 21, 2025, requests the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (AOGCC) issue an order to expand the Affected Area for the Milne Point Unit Area Aquifer Exemption Order 2 (AEO 2), which lies across Alaska’s northern coastline within the North Slope Borough.
An aquifer is an underground body of water-saturated rock or sediments that can store and/or transmit water. Regulations allow the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the State of Alaska to exempt an aquifer or a portion of an aquifer if it does not currently serve as a source of drinking water, if it will not serve as a source of drinking water in the future, or if it meets other criteria such as the natural presence of hydrocarbons, existing contamination, or elevated dissolved solids concentration. An order granting an exemption allows an underground aquifer or a specified portion of an aquifer to be used for oil- or gas-related production, injection, or disposal purposes in compliance with EPA’s requirements under the Safe Drinking Water Act and State of Alaska regulations.
This notice does not contain all the information filed by Hilcorp. To obtain more information, contact the AOGCC’s Special Assistant, Samantha Coldiron, at (907) 793-1223 or samantha.coldiron@alaska.gov.
A public hearing on the matter has been tentatively scheduled for June 10, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. The hearing, which may be changed to full virtual, if necessary, will be held in the AOGCC hearing room located at 333 West 7th Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99501. The audio call in information is (907) 202 7104 Conference ID: 862 885 746#. Anyone who wishes to participate remotely using MS Teams video conference should contact Ms. Coldiron at least two business days before the scheduled public hearing to request an invitation for the MS Teams. To request that the tentatively scheduled hearing be held, a written request must be filed with the AOGCC no later than 4:30 p.m. on April 25, 2025.
If a request for a hearing is not timely filed, the AOGCC may issue an order without a hearing. To learn if the AOGCC will hold the hearing, call (907) 793-1223 after April 28, 2025.
In addition, written comments regarding this application may be submitted to the AOGCC, at 333 west 7th Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99501 or samantha.coldiron@alaska.gov. Comments must be received no later than 4:30 p.m. on May 13, 2025, except that, if a hearing is held, comments must be received no later than the conclusion of the June 10, 2025, hearing.
If, because of a disability, special accommodations may be needed to comment or attend the hearing, contact Samantha Coldiron, at (907) 793-1223, no later than June 3, 2025.
Jessie L. Chmielowski Gregory C. Wilson
Commissioner Commissioner