Cook Inlet

Commentary

While there remains prospectivity in the Basin, the state legislature remains the single biggest variable is having confidence in making long-term decisions. This is further compounded by concern at the Federal level, and to what extent the Biden Administration will use Federal powers to override State legislation to prevent oil & gas development.

Updated

August 17, 2023

Location

Description

The Cook Inlet Basin is a northeast-trending collisional forearc basin that stretches from the Gulf of Alaska into South central Alaska, just east of the Matanuska Valley. It is located in the arc-trench gap between the Alaska-Aleutian Range batholith and contains roughly 80,000 cubic miles of sedimentary rocks. These sediments are mainly derived from Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous sediments. The region is heavily influenced by two major tectonic elements which are still active in the area today. The western side of the Basin lies directly above the Aleutian subduction zone where the Pacific Plate is subducting beneath the North American Plate.

Summary

There has been a significant amount of exploration and development, the USGS postulates that pre-Tertiary unconformity may be significant in exploration for new oil reserves. However, recent price headwinds are creating a feeling of uncertainty for the basin.