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Narwhal Exploration, LLC, West Harrison Bay Exploration Oil Discharge Prevention and Contingency Plan (ODPCP) Major Amendment Application

An application package for an Oil Discharge Prevention and Contingency Plan, under Alaska Statute 46.04.030 and in accordance with 18 AAC 75, has been received by the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). The details are as follows:

Applicant: Narwhal Exploration, LLC
310 K Street, Suite 400
Anchorage, AK 99517

Proposed Activity: Review of a major amendment application package for an Oil Discharge Prevention and Contingency Plan (plan) that is required to commit adequate resources to meet all planning requirements for prevention and response for a realistic maximum discharge from the operations of West Harrison Bay Exploration. Narwhal Exploration, LLC will be conducting exploration activities from ice pads on West Harrison Bay during winter months. Narwhal Exploration, LLC plans to drill up to 5 exploration wells between January and April of 2027. The approved plan addresses a winter response scenario for drilling an exploration well using a response planning standard volume of 5,500 barrels per day for 15 days to total 82,500 barrels. It also addresses a winter response strategy for a tank rupture. The major amendment is to add bulk fuel storage to the plan. Narwhal Exploration, LLC proposed to store up to 982,800 gallons diesel and other petroleum products on an onshore airstrip and on two barges during open water season and winter. The major amendment addresses a response planning standard of 6,825 gallons and includes two tank rupture scenarios during open water season to land and water.

Location: West Harrison Bay Unit leases, North Slope, Alaska. Approximately 40 miles northwest of Nuiqsut and 90 miles west of Prudhoe Bay

Potential Results: A potential risk exists of oil spills entering the lands or waters of the state as a result of this operation.

Activity identified as: State Contingency Plan Number 25-CP-5294

Any person wishing to submit a request for additional information or provide comments regarding this application may do so electronically via our public notice site at https://dec.alaska.gov/comment/. If you are unable to submit comments via this site, you may submit them in writing to Drew Krull, Department of Environmental Conservation, SPAR/PPRP, 555 Cordova Street, Anchorage, AK, 907-269-7611 (phone), or drew.krull@alaska.gov. The submitter’s name and full contents of all submitted comments are considered public records and will be posted online in full during the public comment period. Comments submitted in writing directly to the Plan Reviewer will be uploaded to the public comment site. It is preferable for commenters to submit directly through the public comment site.

The public comment period for this application begins on Monday, May 18th, 2026, and ends at 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, June 17th, 2026. Requests for additional information and comments must
be received by 11:59 pm on Wednesday, June 17th, 2026. It is the responsibility of the commenter to verify that email submissions are received by the deadline. An additional comment period may be provided in accordance with 18 AAC 75.455(d).

The application package is available for public review on DEC’s website at http://dec.alaska.gov/Applications/SPAR/PublicMVC/IPP/CPlansUnderReview.

DEC will hold a public hearing on the plan application if it determines that good cause exists. Residents in the affected area or the governing body of an affected municipality may request a public hearing by writing to the Department of Environmental Conservation, at the above address prior to Tuesday June 2nd, 2026.
The State of Alaska, Department of Environmental Conservation complies with Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. If you are a person with a disability who may need an accommodation in order to participate in this public process, please contact ADA Coordinator Kristin Mabry, kristin.mabry@alaska.gov, 1-907-334-0884; Alaska Relay Service/TTY/TDD 1-800-770-8973; or 711 prior to Friday, June 14th, 2026, to ensure that any necessary accommodations can be provided.

Attachments, History, Details

Attachments

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Revision History

Created 5/14/2026 9:26:30 AM by jfrintala

Details

Department: Environmental Conservation
Category: Public Notices
Sub-Category:
Location(s): Statewide
Project/Regulation #: 25-CP-5294
 
Publish Date: 5/18/2026
Archive Date: 6/18/2026
 
Events/Deadlines: