News Release
BLM-Alaska State Office

BLM-Alaska Office of Communications, 222 W. 7th Avenue #13, Anchorage AK 99513-7504
Tel: 907-271-5555 Fax: 907-271-5421
www.blm.gov/ak

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                                        News Release No. 09-02
John Payne, 907-271-3431                                                                                                         Oct. 22, 2008
Ruth McCoard, 907-271-3322                                           

United States and Canada: Northern Oil and Gas Research Forum 2008

Current Status and Future Direction for the Beaufort Sea, North Slope and Mackenzie Delta

Over 250 American and Canadian oil and gas managers and scientists will participate in the jointly sponsored Northern Oil and Gas Research Forum 2008, October 28-30, 2008, at the Downtown Anchorage Marriott Hotel. This international forum is for American and Canadian scientists, industry and regulators to become better informed about and focus on sharing research programs, how information is used in decision-making, and to learn about future directions for northern oil and gas exploration and development.

The forum has three major goals: 1, to showcase current research programs by demonstrating how they have contributed to decision-making through environmental assessments and the regulatory process, and highlighting the involvement of indigenous peoples in research programs; 2, identify how to move research programs into the decision-making arena; and 3, discuss future oil and gas research needs, including synergies and partnerships for the Beaufort Sea, North Slope and Mackenzie Delta.

In its general sessions the forum has technical and engineering, socio-cultural/socio-economic, biological and physical science programs that will describe the current research and its relevance to the Arctic. The program and abstracts can be viewed at www.northslope.org. On-site registration will be limited due to seating constraints.

The BLM manages more land – 258 million acres – than any other Federal agency. Most of this public land is located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The Bureau, with a budget of about $1 billion, also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The BLM’s multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.

– BLM –