Alaska sues North Slope oil and gas operators over three almost-abandoned wells

By: James Brooks

Outlets: Alaska Beacon

Published: September 14, 2026

Words: 408

Last Updated: 4 days, 4 hours ago


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Acting like a waiter presenting a divided restaurant dinner table with the bill, the Alaska Department of Natural Resources filed suit against nine different North Slope oil and gas operators last month, seeking to determine who is financially responsible for three semi-abandoned wells.

The state’s voluminous 59-page complaint, filed in Anchorage Superior Court, represents an extraordinary act by DNR, which typically resolves well-ownership disputes short of a courtroom.

But the former Beechey Point …