Yukon Flats Exploration

When Doyon, Limited was established, early leaders and village leaders focused on selecting lands for local and traditional uses, historical-cultural sites, and sites with economic potential through natural resource development that could provide employment, training, and contracting for villages and Doyon.

Doyon’s early leaders, in partnership with the leadership of Beaver, Birch Creek, Chalkyitsik, Circle, and Fort Yukon, focused on allocating 400,000 plus acres of Doyon’s land entitlement within the Yukon Flats region for oil and gas potential that had been identified in the 1970s. Land agreements were signed to focus on providing this benefit and to accommodate more local land use for the project. The specific land types in this allocation were lands that could have been equally distributed to all Doyon villages throughout the Interior – making collaboration integral to the partnership.

To continue building on over 50 years of history, in 2019, Doyon and  Hilcorp Alaska signed an agreement for exploration for an area of over 1.6 million acres of Doyon land in the Yukon Flats subregion.

Of that initial exploration area, roughly only 3% (or less than 60,000 acres) was selected by Hilcorp for continued exploration. In the 2025 season, Hilcorp drilled a test well to a depth of 8,220 feet using a custom-built rig operated by Doyon Drilling. During the 2026 season, Hilcorp will be focused on completing post-drilling activities, including the planned plugging and abandonment of that test well.

Doyon has worked with Hilcorp to ensure no limitations on subsistence activities for shareholders near the project sites. Future plans in the Yukon Flats are under review and will be help to the same high standard.

Economic Benefits and Job Opportunities

The Yukon Flats Exploration Project has support in the region, including Birch Creek, the community immediately adjacent to the project, and from Alaska Native leaders across the state. The project represents an important step for enhancing Alaska Native self-determination – by strengthening the economy of the region and allowing us to invest in our communities, including support for our schools, health care, infrastructure, and more.

Financial support from the project can help ensure that the future of our Corporation aligns with the long-term goals of our communities. Future development in the region will additionally provide us with the revenues needed to preserve our cultures and communities. The preservation of Alaska Native languages, traditions, and cultural practices is crucial to sustaining our communities and future generations. 

To date, the project has already delivered tangible opportunities for shareholders:

In the 2025 season alone, 49 shareholders were hired by Fairweather and DDI for a wide range of exploration and support positions on the project in Birch Creek, including holding 75% of Supervisor positions in the field.
An additional seven shareholders completed Fairweather’s Bear Guard Training held in Fort Yukon, with four moving on to Bear Guard roles in Birch Creek.
The project furthermore sparked a number of investments in our communities’ physical and social infrastructure.

Hiring Update:

Hilcorp and Doyon will prioritize shareholder employment when opportunities arise this season. Doyon will also continue to pursue additional development opportunities as they arise with Hilcorp or another operator, to provide employment for shareholders in the region.

History of the Yukon Flats exploration

Doyon’s interest in oil and gas in the subregion predates the selection of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) of 1971 lands in the area. In 1974, only two years after its incorporation, Doyon signed a series of land selection agreements among Birch Creek, Beaver, Chalkyitsik, Circle, and Fort Yukon village corporations to maximize land selections. These agreements resulted in 400,000 extra acres of ANCSA lands in the Yukon Flats.

These agreements were signed for potential oil and gas opportunities and to provide additional Native land for traditional activities. The purpose of these agreements was to maximize economic benefits from the oil and gas industry and prioritize additional private land base for traditional subsistence activities.

Our early leadership made thoughtful land selections guided by an understanding of resource potential, traditional use, and community needs. These selections were rooted in creating jobs, supporting regional economies, and ensuring long-term benefits for Doyon and our village corporations through responsible natural resource management. This foundation has positioned us to capitalize on today’s opportunities.

To view or download a timeline from the 1970s to today, and to learn more about the Yukon Flats Exploration Project, click  here.

Exploration process

The Yukon Flats Exploration Project operates under some of the strictest regulations in the country. Hilcorp has secured all needed permits and approvals with state and federal agencies, as well as Doyon, ensuring robust contingency planning, minimal environmental and subsistence impacts, and a transparent process. Doyon remains focused on balancing responsible resource development and protecting the resources our people rely on.

From 2019 to 2024, exploration tests and surveys were completed while adhering to the strict environmental regulations as well as timing restrictions negotiated by Doyon regarding subsistence activities. During the 2025 season, a test well was drilled to a depth of 8,220 feet using Hilcorp’s custom-built rig operated by Doyon Drilling. Operations were safely completed in accordance with strict environmental safeguards and full permitting compliance. 

During the 2026 season, Hilcorp will be focused on completing post-drilling activities, including the planned plugging and abandonment of that test well. Hilcorp and Doyon are committed to completing all activity to the highest standard. Throughout the work this summer and for any future development, Doyon remains committed to engaging with our shareholders and to sharing information as plans evolve, and will continue providing updates across multiple channels (including community visits, regular meetings with village leadership, and updates in the Doyon Shareholder), as in previous years.

Looking ahead, the Yukon Flats Exploration Project holds continued potential for long-term benefits to our regional economy. The existing test well was completed as part of a discrete project with a limited scope — one pinpoint in a vast, largely unexplored area of more than 1.6 million acres. Future development opportunities may be pursued by Hilcorp or another operator as opportunities allow. These development opportunities help us enhance Alaska Native self-determination and provide critical opportunities and resources for our shareholders.

Environmental Standards and Permitting Processes

Doyon’s mission is to balance the social and economic well-being of our shareholders while also protecting and enhancing our lands and resources for generations to come. From subsistence to our salmon, Doyon has a responsibility to care for the lands. We are committed to this mission and note that this project is intentionally built away from wetlands or tributaries to ensure that we protect our waters.

Alaska and the U.S. have among the most stringent resource development environmental standards in the world, and development only occurs after rigorous permitting and studies that ensure minimal impact to the environment. Doyon remains engaged with local stakeholders – including the people of Birch Creek, the nearest community to the project – to ensure their questions are being directed to and answered by Hilcorp.

Information regarding water usage:

Water usage for the project maintains continuous operations without delays, manage unforeseen challenges effectively, and uphold safety and environmental standards.
Hilcorp is permitted through the Alaska Division of Natural Resources to utilize up to 800,000 gallons from Birch Creek seasonally or annually with a maximum (and unlikely) daily withdrawal of 600,000 gallons – less than the total amount of water in an Olympic swimming pool.
Additional water resources from a nearby lake have also gone through the proper permitting protocols.
Water withdrawal permitting also requires Hilcorp to coordinate with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADFG) to obtain a Fish Habitat Permit (FHP). The purpose of this permit is to mitigate impacts on resident and anadromous fish species.

Requested volumes are intentionally more than required for site operations, in case of unforeseen circumstances. Most importantly – in accordance with state and federal regulations – water used for operations, along with used mud and cuttings, is stored in tanks on-site and then transported offsite for disposal. There is no discharge into Yukon Flats waterways.

Additional permitting updates will be provided if applicable.

Doyon remains dedicated to responsible resource development, environmental stewardship, and open communication with our shareholders and communities.

All necessary permits have been obtained in compliance with state and federal regulations. The agencies engaged with throughout Hilcorp’s permitting process include:

Federal Permitting:

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS)
State Historic Properties Office (SHPO)
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

State Permitting:

Alaska Department of Natural Resources (ADNR)
Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G)
Fish Habitat Permits
Public Safety Permit and Wildlife Interaction Plan
Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation
Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (AOGCC)
Alaska Department of Public Safety

Land Composition

Sedimentary basins like those found within Doyon lands are closely linked with potential oil and gas deposits. Doyon manages under-explored basins with the potential for major fields, including the Minto-Nenana Basin and the Yukon Flats Basin.

Decades of data gathering, seismic surveys, analyses of the lands, exploration programs, and more have occurred.

The work sites of the Yukon Flats Exploration Project are located in the Yukon Flats subregion of Interior Alaska, about 150 miles north of Fairbanks and 25 to 90 miles from existing roads and the Trans-Alaska Pipeline.

Click  here to view or download information about the land composition of the project and data gathering efforts over the decades.

Wildfire Management in the yukon flats

Doyon works closely with the Alaska Fire Service (AFS) to monitor and respond to wildfires across the Yukon Flats region. Each summer, Doyon submits key site locations – including cultural sites, exploration areas, carbon monitoring plots, and other zones with human activity – to AFS for inclusion in its “Known Database.” This system helps prioritize fire response across ANCSA lands, with Doyon and village corporation lands represented as a distinct layer. When a wildfire poses a threat to any of these known locations, the Fire Management Officer for the affected zone contacts Doyon’s Lands and Natural Resources Department to discuss fire conditions and response options. Throughout the fire season, AFS continues to monitor activity near project areas and provides Doyon with timely updates to ensure the safety of people, resources, and land. 

During fire season, Doyon staff are on call 24/7 to respond to the Alaska Fire Service and help facilitate communication between the fire service and village corporations and tribes. Read more about Doyon’s efforts  here. 