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HB15 • 2026

OIL/GAS ROYALTY RATES

An Act relating to royalty rates and payments for certain oil and gas; and providing for an effective date.

Energy Taxes
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
REPRESENTATIVES RAUSCHER, Costello, Prax
Last action
2025-04-16
Official status
(H) RES
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide detailed information on specific conditions for 'qualified new gas/oil'.

Oil and Gas Royalty Rates

This act sets new royalty rates for oil and gas production in certain areas of Alaska, effective from July 1, 2025.

What This Bill Does

  • Sets a three percent royalty rate for qualified new natural gas produced from leases south of 68 degrees North latitude after July 1, 2025, until the earlier of ten years or when the gas is shipped out of state.
  • Establishes a six and one quarter percent royalty rate for qualified new oil produced under similar conditions as the gas provisions.
  • Allows a one percent royalty rate for liquefied natural gas if sold to public utilities at discounted rates, with this rate lasting up to ten years or until the gas is shipped out of state.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Oil and gas companies operating leases south of 68 degrees North latitude in Alaska.
  • Publicly owned utilities and utilities regulated under AS 42.05 that may purchase liquefied natural gas at discounted rates.

Terms To Know

Royalty rate
The percentage of revenue from oil or gas production that a company must pay to the state as compensation for using public land.
Qualified new gas/oil
Gas or oil produced under conditions where it has not been commercially sold before, or if production was previously halted and restarted due to feasibility issues.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The specific effective date for the changes is July 1, 2025.
  • Some sections of the act are set to be repealed on January 1, 2046, which may affect future royalty rates and definitions.

Bill History

  1. 2025-04-16 823

    (H) COSPONSOR(S): PRAX

  2. 2025-04-11 705

    (H) COSPONSOR(S): COSTELLO

  3. 2025-01-22 35

    (H) REFERRED TO RESOURCES

  4. 2025-01-22 35

    (H) RES, FIN

  5. 2025-01-22 35

    (H) READ THE FIRST TIME - REFERRALS

  6. 2025-01-22 35

    (H) PREFILE RELEASED 1/10/25

Official Summary Text

OIL/GAS ROYALTY RATES
An Act relating to royalty rates and payments for certain oil and gas; and providing for an effective date.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
HB0015a -1- HB 15
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

34-LS0214\N

HOUSE BILL NO. 15

IN THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA

THIRTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE - FIRST SESSION

BY REPRESENTATIVES RAUSCHER, Costello, Prax

Introduced: 1/22/25
Referred: Resources, Finance

A BILL

FOR AN ACT ENTITLED

"An Act relating to royalty rates and payments for certain oil and gas; and providing 1
for an effective date." 2
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 3
* Section 1. AS 38.05.180 is amended by adding new subsections to read: 4
(mm) Notwithstanding and in lieu of a requirement in the leasi ng method 5
chosen of a minimum fixed royalty share or the royalty provisio n of a lease, for leases 6
issued for land south of 68 degr ees North latitude from which c ommercial production 7
of oil or gas begins after July 1, 2025, and before January 1, 2036, the lessee shall pay 8
a royalty of three percent for qualified new gas and 6.25 perce nt for qualified new oil, 9
unless payment is lower under another subsection of this section. A royalty rate in this 10
subsection applies until the earlier of 11
(1) 10 years following the commencement of commercial producti on; 12
or 13
(2) the date on which a commercial quantity of oil or gas prod uced by 14
34-LS0214\N
HB 15 -2- HB0015a
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

the lessee from land south of 68 degrees North latitude is shipped out of the state. 1
(nn) In (mm) of this section, 2
(1) "qualified new gas" means gas produced from 3
(A) a field or pool that the commissioner determines has not 4
previously produced gas for commercial sale before January 1, 2025; 5
(B) a field or pool that the co mmissioner determines has not 6
produced gas during the preceding six months but that has previously produced 7
gas; or 8
(C) a well that did not exist on January 1, 2026, if the 9
commissioner determines that pr oduction of that gas from the fi eld or pool 10
from an existing well was not feasible; 11
(2) "qualified new oil" means oil produced from 12
(A) a field or pool that the commissioner determines has not 13
previously produced oil for commercial sale before January 1, 2025; 14
(B) a field or pool that the co mmissioner determines has not 15
produced oil during the preceding one year but that has previou sly produced 16
oil; or 17
(C) a well that did not exist on January 1, 2026, if the 18
commissioner determines that production of that oil from the field or pool from 19
an existing well was not feasible. 20
(oo) Notwithstanding and in lieu of a requirement in the leasi ng method 21
chosen of a minimum fixed royalty share, or the royalty provisi o n o f a l e a s e o r a n 22
existing royalty settlement agreement, for gas that is produced from leases that include 23
land north of 68 degrees North latitude and that is later lique fied or used in the 24
liquefaction or transportation process, the lessee shall pay a royalty rate of one percent 25
if the lessee agrees to sell the gas to a publicly owned utilit y or a utility regulated 26
under AS 42.05 at a rate that refl ects the discounted royalty r ate provided under this 27
subsection. The royalty rate under this subsection applies until the earlier of either 28
(1) 10 years following the first commercial use of liquefied n atural gas 29
receiving the royalty rate under this subsection; or 30
(2) the date on which a commercial quantity of liquefied natur al gas 31
34-LS0214\N
HB0015a -3- HB 15
New Text Underlined [DELETED TEXT BRACKETED]

produced from the lease receiving the royalty rate under this s ubsection is shipped out 1
of the state. 2
* Sec. 2. AS 31.05.030(i); AS 38.05.180(f)(5), and 38.05.180(dd) are repealed. 3
* Sec. 3. AS 38.05.180(mm) and 38.05.180(nn) are repealed January 1, 2046. 4
* Sec. 4. This Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c). 5