Industry insiders have confirmed what has been speculated off and on for almost a year that Texas-based Pioneer Natural Resources might be looking to get out of the Alaska oil and gas market. Pioneer has opened a data room for parties that might be interested in acquiring their Alaska assets to review and examine their leases, well reservoir data and related confidential information.

Pioneer entered the Alaska market in 2002, as an independent oil company with a mindset of more efficiently operating in an area dominated by major oil companies who passed on and left many medium-sized prospects undeveloped. Their first Alaskan development was the Oooguruk oil field. The company was the first independent to operate a producing field on the North Slope.