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: Great Bear Pantheon, LLC
3705 Arctic Blvd, Suite 2324
Anchorage, AK 99503
Proposed Activity: Review of a plan renewal application package for an Oil Discharge Prevention and Contingency 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 Great Bear Pantheon, LLC’s North Slope Exploration Drilling Programs Alaska. The North Slope Exploration Drilling Programs plan covers winter-only and year-round exploration activities, including drilling, well testing, and transfer operations as well as storage of petroleum products. The only refined petroleum product expected to be stored on site in large quantities is diesel, and the largest oil storage tank will have a capacity of 600 barrels. The plan addresses a Response Planning Standard (RPS) volume of 600 barrels for a storage tank release and 82,500 barrels for an exploration well blowout, based on a flow rate of 5,500 barrels of oil per day (bopd) for 15 days.
Location: North Slope, Alaska well locations near the Dalton Highway, near or within the eastern and western sides of the Kuparuk River floodplain, and near or within the western side of the Sagavanirtok River floodplain, approximately 20 to 35 miles south 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 26-CP-5191
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/PPR, 555 Cordova St, Anchorage, AK 99501, 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 July 13, 2026 and ends at 11:59 p.m. on August 12, 2026. Requests for additional information and comments must be received by 11:59 pm on August 12, 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 July 20, 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 August 5, 2026 to ensure that any necessary accommodations can be provided.