also exist and these are mostly populated by Alaska natives - Aleuts, 

 Eskimos, and Indians (Eyak, Tatitlek, Yakultaga, and Yakutat ) . These 

 native communities depend on marine and coastal fish and wildlife for 

 employment and subsistence. 



Petroleum Resources 



Industry has long regarded the northern Gulf as a prime prospect 

 for OCS development. In response to a Department of Interior survey, 

 the petroleum industry selected the Gulf of Alaska as the frontier area 

 possessing the greatest oil and gas potential. 16 Geologists have been 

 very excited over a 100-mile region from Kayak Island to Icy Bay (see 

 Fig. 3) where enormous petroleum structures as large as 20 miles long 



1 7 



and 10 to 15 miles wide have been reported. 



However, no one really knows the extent of oil and gas resources 

 that lie under the waters of the northern Gulf. USGS estimates of 

 recoverable petroleum resources span a large range, from 100 million to 

 2.8 billion barrels of oil and 300 billion to 9 trillion cubic feet of 

 natural gas at the 95 percent and 5 percent probability levels, 

 respectively. 1 8 



Status of OCS Operations 



Petroleum industry interest in the northern Gulf of Alaska dates 

 back to the late 1960's. In 1968, 26 oil companies nominated 4.6 million 

 acres for leasing in the Gulf in response to a Department of Interior 

 call for nominations. A lease sale was scheduled in the summer of 1969, 

 but was cancelled primarily due to events surrounding the Santa Barbara 

 oil spill. 19 



13 



