The Exploration Production & Refineries (EPR) Section is responsible for regulatory oversight of all exploration, development, and production of crude oil on the North Slope and in Cook Inlet (as well as any other area of the state) and all refineries across the state. This oversight includes evaluation of oil discharge prevention and contingency plans for compliance with oil discharge prevention and response preparedness requirements, inspection of all onshore and offshore facilities, pipelines and refineries, and announced and unannounced oil discharge exercises.

EPR facilities in Alaska comprise a wide variety of complex operations. Exploration occurs at both on-shore and off-shore locations. Production facilities can be found both on land and on offshore platforms, and range in size from less than 10 wells to nearly 1000 wells on dozens of gravel pads. Refineries range in size and location and transportation methods. EPR facilities also range in age, from the Swanson River oil field developed in the 1950s to the state-of-the-art exploration operations. Planholders can be long-time operators in Alaska to those who are brand new to the state, and range from small independent operators to multi-national companies, including the largest oil companies in the world. There is no "typical" EPR facility or operator.

The coordinator of the British Petroleum Exploration Alaska - ConocoPhillips Alaska (BPXA-CPA) Charter for Development of the North Slope (Charter agreement) is located in the EPR section. The 1999 Charter agreement signed by the Governor, the Attorney General, the Commissioners of Natural Resources and Revenue, and the Presidents of BPXA and ARCO is the first antitrust agreement in U.S. to include environmental provisions. The Charter coordinator is responsible for monitoring, managing and coordinating the fulfillment of the environmental commitments such as Arctic spill response research and development; state oversight of industry's corrosion monitoring program on the North Slope; clean-up of North Slope contaminated sites including "orphan sites" (sites abandoned by unknown parties); an additional funding commitment as requested by the Commissioner; payment of unspent funds; and a renewed commitment to the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, including the replacement of crude oil tankers with new state of art double hulled tankers and marine operations.

The EPR section is located at the DEC office in Anchorage at 555 Cordova Street, 2nd floor, Anchorage, AK 99501. The fax number for the EPR staff is (907) 269-7687.