Report: ANWR could produce 780,000 barrels/day

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge would likely produce 2.6 billion barrels of oil between 2018 and 2030, when its production would start to decline, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said today.

The Alaskan refuge, which is currently off limits to drilling, would produce 780,000 barrels a day in 2027, declining to 710,000 barrels a day in 2030, according to the agency’s mean projection. Opening the area would cut the price of oil by 75 cents a barrel, according to the mean estimate.


The report, which assumes a law passing this year opening the refuge, was requested by Senator Ted Stevens, an Alaska Republican. Democrats in control of Congress oppose the idea. The Energy Information Agency is the Statistical arm of the Energy Department.