Dennis McLerran to head EPA region 10 01/17/2010
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said Jan. 13 that Dennis J. McLerran has been selected to be the regional administrator for EPA's region 10, which includes Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington a...

Chukchi air permit takes Shell closer to 2010 drilling program 01/17/2010
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Jan. 7 decision to propose an amended air quality permit for Shell's planned exploration drilling in the Arctic Alaska outer continental shelf of the Chukchi...

EPA proposes approving Shell air permit 01/10/2010
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency proposes to approve an air quality permit for Shell's planned exploration drilling operations in the Chukchi Sea, the Alaska Department of Environmental Conser...

Corps working on EIS for standalone line 01/03/2010
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is working on a draft environmental impact statement for the State of Alaska's proposed standalone in-state gas pipeline project. The corps is the lead federal agency;...

Noah tells legislators time to choose 01/03/2010
Says Legislature funding too many options, confusing market; Irwin says information isn't in for standalone or AGIA line to market
Alaska legislators heard two different views in mid-December of what they should do about gas projects in the state: Harry Noah, the outgoing project manager for the state's in-state gas project, said...

State, feds investigate spill at North Slope's Lisburne field 12/27/2009
Ruptured pipe in BP-operated field releases estimated 45,828 gallons of oil and water; criminal and civil probes under way by Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, US EPA
State and federal authorities confirm they're conducting criminal and civil investigations into a pipeline rupture discovered in the BP-operated Lisburne oil field on Nov. 29. Weld Royal, spokeswoman...

Lawyers debate BP motion 12/27/2009
Company fights Alaska's billion-dollar suit over '06 Prudhoe Bay pipeline leaks
A lawyer for BP on Dec. 21 urged a judge to dismiss much of the State of Alaska's lawsuit against the company seeking $1 billion or more in damages for the 2006 pipeline spills in the Prudhoe Bay oil...

Corps begins work on Point Thomson EIS 12/13/2009
ExxonMobil is moving ahead with development permitting for its Point Thomson project. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers published a notice Dec. 4 of intention to prepare a draft environmental impact s...

Shell's Chukchi exploration plan gets conditional MMS OK 12/13/2009
The Minerals Management Service has conditionally approved Shells' proposed Chukchi Sea outer continental shelf 2010 exploration plan. But it's basically approval for data gathering - drilling won't...

Response continues at Lisburne spill 12/06/2009
Quarter acre of frozen discharge remains while team waits for engineers to ensure that pressure has dropped in leaking pipeline
The spill response crew has removed about 80 cubic yards of oil-misted snow from a half-acre area around the site of a pipeline leak in the Lisburne field on Alaska's North Slope, and is waiting for t...

Climate change legal impacts heat up 12/06/2009
U.S. legislation, regulation and litigation will all have far-reaching impacts on the Alaska oil and gas industry in coming years
In one sense it makes no difference who is right and who is wrong in the debate over the effect of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases on the Earth's climate: The legal fallout from a broad view...

Oil Patch Bits: ExxonMobil receives U.S. EPA natural gas STAR award 11/29/2009
ExxonMobil said Nov. 16 that it has received the 2009 Continuing Excellence award from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, under its Natural Gas STAR Program. The program recognizes companies th...

Mining News: DEC takes lead on water pollution rules 11/22/2009
EPA formally OKs four-phase authority transfer to state to administer wastewater discharge permitting under Clean Water Act
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency formally approved Alaska's application Oct. 31 to administer the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System Program. The approved state program is called...

Mining News: Anti-coal groups descend on Utah to rally against Alaska's Chuitna Coal Project 11/22/2009
Sierra Club Alaska has joined several other environmental and anti-coal groups to hold a Nov. 12 rally in opposition to developing a coal mine at the Chuitna Project in Southcentral Alaska. Richard "...

Mining News: Greens threaten Seward coal dust suit 11/22/2009
Environmental groups' law firm plans to sue Usibelli affiliate and Alaska railroad for alleged clean water violations in Seward
Three environmental groups – Sierra Club Alaska Chapter, Alaska Center for the Environment and Alaska Community Action on Toxics – have threatened to file a lawsuit against Alaska Railroad Corp. and U...

Beaufort plan comment period extended 11/15/2009
The Alaska Department of Natural Resources has for the second time extended the deadline for public comments on the Alaska Coastal Management Program consistency review of Shell's 2010 Beaufort Sea ex...

Valdez refinery returns to full output 11/15/2009
Safety systems improved as cause of last December's fire remains undetermined; plans laid to make low-sulfur diesel at refinery
Petro Star Inc. has resumed full operations at its small Valdez crude oil refinery following a fire last December that local fire officials estimated did about $20 million in damage. Petro Star, a sub...

Mining Explorers 2009: Red Dog partners seek SEIS in 2009 11/01/2009
Teck, NANA explore 1 billion-metric-ton Anarraaq zinc deposit while permitting Aqqaluk
With reserves in the main pit of the Red Dog zinc-lead-silver mine running low, Teck Resources Ltd. and NANA Regional Native Corp. waited, with cautious optimism, for the U.S. Environmental Protection...

Wins and losses for sands sector 11/01/2009
Industry gets boost from study estimating employment, economic spinoffs; runs afoul of chemical producers, who demand single standard
The Alberta oil sands, as is so often the case, are being pulled in opposite directions, quietly ramping up production, while unease builds as the sector awaits greenhouse gas regulations from the Oba...

Mining News: Recession walloped exploration spending 10/25/2009
As drought in available venture capital eases, miners seeking acquisitions would do well to accelerate the pace of purchases
As the active exploration season winds down in Alaska, both good news and bad is afoot and both sets of news turn out to be the same data. Double speak you say? Read on and judge for yourself. Halifa...

OK for Shell plan 10/25/2009
MMS approves Beaufort Sea 2010 drilling if permitting requirements met
On Oct. 19 Shell passed another major milestone in its multiyear quest to start exploration drilling on Alaska's Arctic outer continental shelf, when the U.S. Minerals Management Service approved the...

EPA moves to regulate smokestack gases 10/11/2009
Industrial plants emitting at least 25,000 tons would have to use best available technology with new builds, significant changes
The Environmental Protection Agency took steps Sept. 30 to control the emissions blamed for global warming from power plants, factories and refineries for the first time. The EPA proposal would requi...

Parnell chamber talk focuses on energy 10/04/2009
Governor tells Fairbanks audience he's optimistic about development at all scales; wants companies to combine gas line projects
Resource development and energy played large in a speech by Gov. Sean Parnell in Fairbanks on Sept. 29. "I couldn't give a talk about our economy without talking about resource development," Parnell t...

Oil Patch Insider: Canada takes delivery of two Arctic submarines 10/04/2009
The Canadian government has taken delivery of two remote-controlled submarines that will be used in mapping the Arctic seabed. The program's purpose is to document Canada's territorial claims in the A...

Arctic Directory: Port of Tacoma terminal awarded Environmental Protection Agency grant 09/20/2009
In a move it said will create jobs, boost local economies, reduce diesel emissions and protect human health and the environment for the people of Washington, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency s...