The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), an agency within the US Department of the Interior, is set to conduct a major oil and gas lease sale in the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska (NPR-A) on 9 March 2026.
This event will offer more than 600 tracts covering around 5.5 million acres, marking the initial lease sale under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
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The initiative aims to harness Alaska’s substantial energy resources.
Established as the Naval Petroleum Reserve No. 4 in 1923 by President Harding, the NPR-A was designated as an emergency oil supply for the US Navy due to its potential petroleum value.
In 1976, management of the 23 million-acre area on Alaska’s North Slope was transferred to the Department of the Interior’s BLM following the enactment of the Naval Petroleum Reserves Production Act.
Under current legislation, the BLM is required to organise a minimum of five lease sales by 2035, each spanning at least four million acres.
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By GlobalDataThe upcoming sale supports Executive Order 14153, which underscores President Trump’s dedication to responsibly developing Alaska’s natural resources.
BLM Acting Director Bill Groffy said: “The National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska plays a vital role in advancing America’s energy independence, and Congress has repeatedly made clear their intent for timely leasing and responsible development in the region.
“This lease sale – the first in the reserve since 2019 – marks another exciting milestone as we work to unlock the full potential of this area.”
At present, roughly 1.6 million acres in the NPR-A are under lease.
Since 1999, BLM-organised lease sales have generated more than $294m, benefitting both the US Treasury and the State of Alaska.
The state possesses substantial untapped natural resources such as energy and minerals.
A portion of the revenue from these sales supports Alaska’s Impact Grant Programme, which aids local communities.
The BLM oversees around 245 million acres of public land across 12 western states, including Alaska, and manages a subsurface mineral estate totalling approximately 700 million acres nationwide.
In February 2025, the BLM New Mexico State Office auctioned seven parcels covering 1,317 acres in its quarterly oil and gas lease sale, generating $20.67m in total receipts.
