USGS Estimates 96 Trillion Cubic Feet Of Undiscovered Gas On Alaska’s North Slope
A new U.S. Geological Survey report estimates Alaska's North Slope holds 96 trillion cubic feet of undiscovered conventional natural gas resources, roughly three times the amount of known reserves.
Anchorage, AK, October 23, 2026 —
A new U.S. Geological Survey report estimates that Alaska’s North Slope contains 96 trillion cubic feet of undiscovered conventional natural gas resources, an amount roughly three times the region’s known reserves, according to the report summary.
The estimate concerns undiscovered resources, rather than gas already identified as known reserves. The summary describes the resources as conventional natural gas and does not provide a breakdown of the estimate, the methods used to produce it, or the amount of known reserves in absolute terms.
The reported figure is an estimate, not a statement that the gas has been found, developed or made available for use. The summary does not specify whether the full estimated volume could be technically or economically recovered, and it provides no timeline for exploration or production.
Other details about the report were not provided in the summary, including its publication date, the boundaries of the area assessed and any range of uncertainty around the estimate. It also does not identify particular deposits or describe plans by companies or government agencies related to the resources.
The estimate highlights a distinction between the amount of natural gas assessed as potentially undiscovered and the amount counted as known reserves. While the report’s headline estimate is 96 trillion cubic feet, the available information does not give further detail on how the figure compares with other resource assessments or what steps, if any, may follow.
Story summarized from the original created by Yereth Rosen, Alaska Beacon on www.adn.com, see more information here.
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