5-Year Oil and Gas Leasing Schedule Announced.

• Position: Brief Article

After a temporary suspension of regular oil and gas lease sales, the state recently unveiled a new five-year lease sale schedule including 16 area-wide lease sales through the year 2005.

"After some juggling with the lease sale schedule over the past couple of years due to uncertainties surrounding the BPARCO merger, we have settled down to a schedule that provides the predictability desired by the industry," said Gov. Tony Knowles.

The proposed sales include five in Cook Inlet, five in the Beaufort Sea, five on the North Slope and one in the North Slope Foothills area. The Cook...