From Delay to Development: North Slope Lease Sales Return
SCOOP – INTERIOR’S DESIRED TIMELINE FOR ALASKAN DRILLING LEASE SALES: The Trump administration is moving full steam ahead with opening Alaska’s North Slope to more oil and gas drilling, with multiple lease sales in the region set to be held this year.
The Interior Department confirmed to Callie this week that it plans to hold its first sale in the Coastal Plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in 2026. The agencyfirst announcedthat it would be opening the roughly 1.56 million-acre area along the edge of the Beaufort Sea for fossil fuel leasing in October, but had not yet confirmed when the first lease sale would be held.
The agency is required by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act to hold four lease sales in the region over the next seven years.
Interiorhas also rolled backBiden administration protections for the National Petroleum Reserve of Alaska – also located in the North Slope – to open more access to drilling operations. In October, the Bureau of Land Management published a call for nominations and comments on what areas should be held in its first lease sale in the NPR-A.
At the time, the agency said the sale would take place over the 2025-2026 winter. The agency confirmed to Callie this week that it still plans to hold the sale in the first quarter of this year. Interior declined to provide any additional information as to what tracts of land could be included due to its sealed bid process. The agency plans to hold five lease sales in the NPR-A over the next 10 years.
From the Washington Examiner, Daily on Energy, January 28, 2026
There’s a lot happening in Alaska mining—and it’s all pointing in the right direction. Exploration is up, projects are progressing through development, and companies are making long-term commitments to operate in Alaska. It’s a reminder that when Alaska’s resources are developed responsibly, the benefits ripple across the state for workers, families, and future generations.
Anchored by continued robust output at its Greens Creek mine in Southeast Alaska, Hecla Mining Company produced more than 17 million ounces of silver and 150,000 oz of gold in 2025.
With strong performance at all its North American operations, including exceeding annual production guidance at the Lucky Friday mine in Idaho, Hecla tested the upper limits of the production guidance it set out at the onset of 2025.
Company to use funds to advance work to support a feasibility study for the13.6-million-oz gold project in Alaska.
As the price of gold sits at the cusp of $5,000 per ounce, International Tower Hill Mines Ltd. has pulled together a $105 million financing to advance exploration and development at its 13.6-million-ounce Livengood gold mine project in Alaska.
Paulson & Co. Inc., which already owns a 33.8% interest in Tower Hill, has agreed to invest $40 million into the gold development company via a private placement. At the same time, Tower Hill is raising an additional $65 million from a public offering of 29.28 million shares at $2.22 per share.
The company plans to use the $105 million raised during this financing to advance exploration and development of the highway-accessible Livengood project about 70 miles north of Fairbanks.
In a decision that underscores the strength of Alaska’s permitting and environmental review process, a federal judge has upheld approval for ConocoPhillips’ Alaska oil exploration project—confirming that regulators did their homework and did it well.
Federal approval for a ConocoPhillips Alaska oil exploration will remain in effect after a federal judge ruled the US Bureau of Land Management conducted a reasonably thorough environmental study.
The US District Court for the District of Alaska denied the tribal and environmental groups’ bid for a preliminary injunction to stop the company from drilling four test oil and gas wells in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, awarding the agency deference for mitigating impacts on the reserve.
BLM’s prohibitions on bulldozing tundra vegetation and limitations for off-road travel are sufficient under the Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act.
The Trump administration is escalating its efforts to bolster the domestic critical minerals industry, exploring every opportunity to increase mining activities in the U.S. – including off the coast of Alaska.
The Trump administration is considering allowing deep-sea mining in the waters off the coast of Alaska, sparking concerns about the fate of world class fisheries and fragile ecosystems.
The Bureau of Ocean Energy and Management, or BOEM, will begin gauging interest in a competitive mineral lease sale on Alaska’s outer continental shelf when a notice is published in the Federal Register on Thursday. The agency, according to a map posted online, is looking at large swaths of the Bering Sea, including the Aleutian Islands.
BOEM’s acting Director Matt Giacona said in a statement that Alaska’s offshore “holds strategic potential for the minerals that drive American industry, defense and next-generation technologies,” and that the request for information is “a practical first step to gauge interest and identify areas where development could make sense for jobs, investment and national supply chains.”
Supporting LNG should be a straightforward question in an energy-producing state. Yet when asked, some candidates managed to circle the issue without ever landing on a clear position.
Many candidates say they’ll make the $40 billion-plus LNG project a priority.
We’re back with the next edition of our recurring survey of the more than a dozen candidates running to be Alaska’s next governor.
This week’s questions revolve around a huge — and hugely expensive — LNG export project pushed by Alaska’s current governor, Mike Dunleavy. We also asked for some book recommendations. Full questions and answers are below. Republican candidates Bernadette Wilson and Treg Taylor did not respond to the survey; Northern Journal sent multiple messages to each.
To the activists who spent the past 15 years blocking fracking and new natural gas pipelines, take a victory lap.
"Oil-fired power plants have dominated the New England electric grid as a brutal cold and a heavy winter storm gripped the region." https://t.co/nxBfpHqNap
HB 124 is a masterclass in how to kill projects without ever saying “no.”
This week’s Bad Bill of the Week is HB 124 — “An Act relating to the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority; and providing for an effective date,” better known as the so-called AIDEA Accountability Act.
Despite its name, HB 124 doesn’t deliver accountability—it delivers uncertainty. By pulling major infrastructure and economic development projects out of established due-diligence processes and into the churn of legislative politics, the bill risks freezing investment, delaying critical projects, and sending a clear message that Alaska is no longer a predictable place to do business.
Though a portion of the bill seems harmless in its attempt to restructure the AIDEA board, appointments, Governor’s involvement, the real threat is the section that layers on new bureaucracy and political uncertainty by requiring legislative approval for major projects.
HB 124 requires projects over $10 million to run a legislative gauntlet—on top of existing permitting, financing, and regulatory reviews. In practice, which means projects must survive multiple different committee chairs, shifting political winds, and an unpredictable legislative calendar after years of planning and millions already spent.
That level of uncertainty is enough to make most investors walk away before they ever apply.
Section 9: Where Projects Go to Die
Section 9 creates a new statute (AS 44.88.179) that applies to all projects over $10 million, requiring developers to (among other things):
Produce a full economic, social, and environmental impact report
Submit all documentation to the legislature
Receive legislative approval by law
That’s not oversight. That’s paralysis.
This bill doesn’t target hypothetical megaprojects—it threatens real Alaska investments, like:
Interior Energy Project – $139M (Fairbanks)
Ambler Access Project – $50M+
Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation – $162M (Bethel)
Cook Inlet Gas Development – $82M
And yes—virtually every major infrastructure project would most likely be caught in this net.
Alaska already has one of the most rigorous permitting and review processes in the country. HB 124 politicizes investment decisions, injects uncertainty at the final stage, and signals to the world that Alaska is an unreliable place to do business.
No serious developer is going to spend years on due diligence only to “wait and hope” the legislature likes their project that year.
Alaska LNG Project – Phase One Progress Highlights
Project moves into early execution:Glenfarne has advanced Phase One of Alaska LNG from development into early execution, focused on delivering affordable, reliable natural gas.
Clear execution plan and timeline:Phase One includes a 739-mile, 42-inch pipeline (plus potential Point Thomson Lateral), built in four simultaneous spreads. Targeting mechanical completion in2028andfirst gas in 2029.
EPCM partner identified:Worley has been provisionally selected to provide Engineering, Procurement, and Construction Management (EPCM) services for Phase One, following completion of engineering work to support a final investment decision.
Major pipeline construction contractors conditionally awarded:Following a competitive bid process, Glenfarne conditionally awarded construction roles to a world-class group of contractors with deep Alaska and megaproject experience, including:
MasTec / Precision Pipeline
Quanta Services / Price Gregory
Michels Pipeline & ASRC Energy Services (Houston Contracting)
Associated Pipeline Contractors, Doyon Energy Services & Cruz Construction
Barnard Pipeline & SICIM
Spiecapag (VINCI) & U.S. Pipeline
Line pipe supply secured:Preliminary agreements executed for approximatelytwo-thirds of required line pipe, with suppliers includingCorinth Pipeworks,Europipe, and previously announcedPOSCO International. Pipe production is expected to begin shortly, with deliveries to Alaska later this year.
Gas supply agreements advancing:Gas Sales Precedent Agreements executed withExxonMobilandHilcorp, building on prior agreements withPantheon Resources, and continued engagement withConocoPhillips.
In-state demand anchored:
Non-binding LOI signed withENSTARfor a 30-year natural gas supply.
LOI withDonlin Gold Minefor up to 50 MMcfd and related pipeline and power infrastructure.
Strong commercial momentum:Since becoming lead developer in March 2025, Glenfarne has secured preliminary LNG buyer commitments totaling11 MTPAand strategic partnerships withBaker Hughes,Danaos, andPOSCO International.
GLENFARNEANNOUNCES STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH DANAOS TO ADVANCE ALASKA LNG
ANCHORAGE (January 20, 2026) – Glenfarne Group, LLC (“Glenfarne”) subsidiary Glenfarne Alaska LNG, LLC, majority owner and developer of the Alaska LNG Project, and Danaos Corporation (“Danaos”) (NYSE: DAC), one of the world’s largest independent owners of containerships, today announced a strategic partnership to advance Alaska LNG. Under the agreement, Danaos will facilitate the construction and operation of at least six LNG carriers to deliver LNG to global customers and make a $50 million development capital investment to support the project.
“Danaos, with their reputation for high-quality ship ownership and operations, is a valued addition to our roster of Alaska LNG strategic partners,” said Brendan Duval, chief executive officer and founder of Glenfarne. “One of Alaska LNG’s major competitive advantages is our short shipping distance to Asia, featuring canal-free routes avoiding contested waters. The addition of reliable shipping solutions meaningfully advances the development of Alaska LNG. Dr. John Coustas and his management team have been a pleasure to work with.”
Danaos Chief Executive Officer Dr. John Coustas added, “As Alaska LNG opens up a major new source of North Pacific energy, Danaos is pleased to offer our shipping expertise to reliably serve customers across the region and around the world with safe, competitive LNG delivery. This transaction provides us with an opportunity to expand on our expertise in global seaborne transportation and expand the footprint of Danaos in the LNG and Energy segments.”
Danaos operates one of the most modern and efficient fleets in the maritime sector featuring vessels with cutting-edge technology and adhering to the highest standards of safety, efficiency, and environmental responsibility. Danaos currently manages 86 vessels with 25 additional vessels under construction.
A limited 2025 drill program offers clues to Waterpump Creek deposit extension, demonstrates Silver Sage potential.
Alaska Silver Corp. Jan. 20 reported that high-grade silver and zinc mineralization encountered during 2025 drilling at the Waterpump Creek deposit and Silver Sage discovery has provided vectors for a more aggressive drill program this year.
“We think we are zeroing in on the link to the southern extension of our Waterpump Creek resource and want to emphasize the importance of the blind Silver Sage zone, not just in how it expands the Illinois Creek district footprint, but how it indicates that more such mineralized zones are likely hidden beneath our extensive cover,” said Alaska Silver President and CEO Kit Marrs.
Situated on Alaska Silver’s district-scale Illinois Creek property about 300 miles west of Fairbanks, Alaska, Waterpump Creek and Silver Sage host carbonate replacement deposit mineralization enriched with three metals on the U.S. critical minerals list – silver, lead, and zinc.
According to a 2024 calculation, Waterpump Creek hosts 2.39 million metric tons of inferred resource averaging 279 grams per metric ton (21.4 million ounces) silver, 11.25% (591 million pounds) zinc, and 9.84% (518 million lb) lead.
The deposit also hosts intriguing quantities of gallium. A composite sample produced from 35.4 meters of Waterpump Creek drill core averaged 9.8% zinc and 23.7 parts per million gallium. During the testing, this sample was reduced to a zinc concentrate containing 53% zinc and 116 ppm gallium, demonstrating that a substantial amount of gallium within the Waterpump Creek deposit would report to a zinc concentrate at a future mine.
