An exploration license has exclusive rights for up to 10 years to explore for oil and gas in an area between 10,000 and 500,000 acres in size (AS 38.05.131-134). The licensee also has the exclusive right to convert the license to leases during the term of the license.

The State of Alaska offers oil and gas exploration licenses through its exploration licensing program. The intent of the oil and gas exploration licensing program (AS 38.05.131-134) is to encourage exploration in areas far from existing infrastructure, with unknown hydrocarbon potential, and where there is a higher investment risk to the operator. Licensees are required to provide any data collected under an exploration license to the state (11 AAC 82.981). The exploration licensing program does not apply to certain lands (already subject to areawide lease sales) in the North Slope and Cook Inlet regions as specified by AS 38.05.131(b). The Leasing Team of the Division of Oil and Gas administers the exploration licensing program.

The source and official record are LAS case files available here. The lease case files available in this dataset were queried by case type and case status and is a best estimate of exploration leases thru time. The codes and descriptions used to query records contained in this dataset follow. The codes and descriptions contained in this dataset are available from the Division of Oil and Gas.

Case Type Code: 780 - Exploration License

Case File Status Codes: 11- Application Complete, 35 – Issued, 64 – On Appeal, 80 - Closed