The Trump administration is moving to reverse restrictions imposed by President Joe Biden on oil and gas development in Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve (NPR-A), potentially opening millions of acres of the country’s largest expanse of undisturbed land to increased energy exploration.
The initiative aligns with former President Donald Trump’s broader energy agenda aimed at reducing regulations, boosting domestic fuel production, and promoting energy independence.
In 2023, the Biden administration barred oil and gas leasing across 10.6 million acres of the 23-million-acre reserve, while imposing additional limitations on 2 million more. Located on Alaska’s North Slope, the NPR-A was originally designated in 1923 as a strategic oil reserve for the U.S. Navy. The land was opened to commercial development in the 1970s and is currently managed by the Bureau of Land Management under the Department of the Interior.
Major energy companies operating in the reserve include ConocoPhillips, Santos Ltd., Repsol SA, and Armstrong Oil & Gas Inc. ConocoPhillips is leading the Willow project—a 600-million-barrel development expected to begin production in 2029.
Environmental and Indigenous advocacy groups praised the Biden-era rule for protecting critical wildlife habitats and preserving traditional lifestyles. However, critics, including several Republican leaders and industry representatives, argue the policy undermines energy security and economic opportunity.
“Congress was clear: the National Petroleum Reserve in Alaska was set aside to support America’s energy security through responsible development,” Interior Secretary Doug Burgum said. “The 2024 rule ignored that mandate, prioritizing obstruction over production and undermining our ability to harness domestic resources at a time when American energy independence has never been more critical.”
Despite its vastness, the North Slope region contributes only about 3% of total U.S. oil output, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. A 2020 U.S. Geological Survey assessment estimated the Central North Slope contains approximately 3.6 billion barrels of undiscovered, technically recoverable oil and 8.9 trillion cubic feet of natural gas.
Since the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System began operations in 1977, it has transported around 18 billion barrels of oil—most of it from the Central North Slope. The Prudhoe Bay field, a key production hub located between the NPR-A, the Brooks Range, and the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, holds an estimated 25 billion barrels of oil in place. About half of that is recoverable with current technology, according to BP Exploration, which operates the field and holds a 26% stake. ConocoPhillips Alaska and ExxonMobil each own 36%.
On June 2, Trump officials and energy representatives from Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and the Philippines visited Prudhoe Bay to discuss energy cooperation and future investment.
It reported that Trump is pushing to double the volume of oil transported through Alaska’s pipeline system and launch a new natural gas project to serve local Alaskan communities while exporting liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Asia.
Although Alaska leaders have long envisioned such a gas project, progress has been hampered by high costs, shifting market conditions, and economic uncertainty. The Trump administration sees ongoing trade negotiations with Asian nations as an opportunity to attract foreign investment in the LNG initiative.
The proposed rollback of Biden-era policies marks another chapter in the longstanding debate over how best to balance energy development with environmental and Indigenous concerns in one of America’s most ecologically sensitive regions.
