(Alaska) Oil and Gas Conservation Act

Last updated: 31 January 2022

The Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Act establishes the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (AOGCC), an independent quasi-judicial agency, and sets requirements for oil and gas development in Alaska. Drilling of wells is subject to a permitting process and the waste of oil and natural gas is prohibited (Section 31.05.095).  Section 31.05.170(15)(H) specifies that the release, burning, or escape into the open air of gas, from a well producing oil or gas, unless authorized by the AOGCC are included in the prohibition. 

 

The act also defines applicable penalties. In particular, the AOGCC may impose a civil penalty for each 1,000 cubic feet of natural gas flared, vented, or otherwise determined to be waste that corresponds to twice the fair market value of the natural gas at the point of waste.

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