Amid gas crunch, Alaska could revoke leases from a company whose drilling has stalled

Natural gas production from offshore platforms in Cook Inlet, outside of Anchorage, has declined over the past several decades. The area’s dominant producer, Hilcorp, has warned electric and heating utilities that they should not expect their supply contracts to be renewed when existing ones expire. (Nathaniel Herz/Northern Journal)

Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s administration is threatening to strip a company of oil and gas leases in Cook Inlet outside Anchorage, saying it’s sitting on deposits that could delay an impending shortage of gas needed for heating and power generation in urban Alaska.

The Alaska Department of Natural Resources recently placed in “default” the Cosmopolitan Unit, a block leased by Texas-based BlueCrest Energy, saying it hasn’t met commitments to drill…

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