Oil companies have been hesitant to pursue resources at Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in part because of high costs of development, and public relations challenges around drilling in a wildlife sanctuary.

The U.S. Interior Department says that no bids were submitted for this week’s oil and gas lease sale in Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

No companies bid for the chance to drill in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. It was the second auction in four years that failed to draw strong interest.