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The Future of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska

By Marissa Silver

 

Anchorage, AK - Looking into the future, the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is a critical piece of the puzzle when it comes to the future of oil development in The Last Frontier.

 

"We think there is 5 billion barrels remaining in the existing field, we think there is double that in ANWR of 10 billion," said Kara Moriarty who is the CEO/President of AOGA.

 

"ANWR is probably another Prudhoe Bay or more, I don't think I've seen the geology, but I've been told that if you're a geologist and you look at what they have done up there, it's a lot of oil," said Governor Bill Sheffield who was Governor of Alaska from 1982-1986.

 

And for the average Alaskan it could mean an increase in the oil in the pipeline.

 

"I think estimates is, that we could get a million barrels a day potentially at ANWR's peak production, so why wouldn't we as alaskans want more oil in the pipe," Moriarty said.

 

But ANWR is currently closed to drilling following the proposed designation of the remaining land as wilderness by President Obama and his Administration in January.

 

"I've been fighting this battle for 34 years, and to have propaganda to come from the environmental community who doesn't know their backside from their frontside and talk about the wolves and the caribou sleeping together is just pure bull**** and what bothers me the most is this is good for the nation," said Representative Don Young who is a US House Representative.

 

And if ANWR is forever closed off for drilling the impact would effect the way of life for many Alaska Natives.

 

"For them, that is their future and that is their land, they view it as, it's another way to develop their resource and for them it is their economic future and why would we want to close that off, when it's such a small portion of the overall refuge," Moriarty said.

 

While keeping ANWR closed off could be detrimental to the future of the economy of our state.

 

"When you look at oil and gas for the next 20,30,40,50 years ANWR needs to be a component of that to make sure that we have a viable pipeline and to make sure we have a viable economy," said Moriarty.