Lawmakers revive reserves tax as proposed ballot initiative after measure failed in 2006 10/05/2008
A group of state lawmakers have revived a measure to tax Alaska natural gas reserves. Rep. Harry Crawford, D-Anchorage; Rep. David Guttenberg, D-Fairbanks; and Rep. Beth Kerttula, D-Juneau recently fi...

Palin, Knowles to consider competing North Slope gas pipeline proposals 08/27/2006
Rutherford says TransCanada gas line contract could be finalized in as little as three months
Alaska's Republican governor, Frank Murkowski, ousted in Aug. 22's primary election, has vowed to continue to push his fiscal contract for a natural gas pipeline to Canada in the time he has left in o...

BP: Election may slow gas pipeline project 06/18/2006
An executive with BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc. says that if a new governor is elected this fall without legislative approval of a natural gas contract, those contract negotiations may have to start ov...

200 turn out for Anchorage rally 05/14/2006
Speakers want oil tax changes to wait until gas deal revealed; rally draws former governor, several gubernatorial candidates
Politicians and activists got rock star treatment May 5 outside the state headquarters building downtown, as they delivered a populist, "us before the oil companies" message. "Please, ladies and gentl...

Gas contract on deck 05/14/2006
900-page summer reading list released: contract, fiscal finding, documents
When Gov. Frank Murkowski greeted Alaska legislators on the first day of the special session, May 10, he jokingly told them he was going to read the 900-plus pages of gas fiscal contract documents, st...

Knowles pledges to redo Alaska gas line deal 06/04/2006
Former governor enters gubernatorial race against incumbent, promising to scrap and redo fiscal contract with North Slope producers
Former Alaska Gov. Tony Knowles says he will run for governor, challenging Republican incumbent Gov. Frank Murkowski who is serving his first four-year term. At the top of Knowles' list of promises is...

Oil Patch Insider 03/12/2006
Alaska House leadership says gas reserves tax a shoo-in if governor, ANS producers do not deliver a 'legitimate' gas pipeline contract
The State of Alaska has certified the gas reserves tax proposal for the November ballot, the lieutenant governor's office said March 6. It's a shoe-in, legislative leaders say, unless a gas contract...

Port authority solves Jones Act tanker issues 02/26/2006
But authority needs gas; Y-line concept envisions 1 bcf as LNG to West Coast, majority of gas to Canadian border bound for Lower 48
The Alaska Gasline Port Authority appears to have solved its Jones Act tanker issues through a memorandum of understanding with Totem Ocean Trailer Express, but has not solved its biggest problem - se...

Gas tax proposal moving 02/12/2006
Croft says bill incentive to develop gas; Conoco says it's bad public policy
When the House Special Committee on Ways and Means moved a gas reserves tax out of committee Feb. 3, Republican members said they were not moving the bill because they agreed with it, but because it i...

Conoco pans Dems' plan to tax gas 01/29/2006
Spokesman questions measure's constitutionality, says lost interest would offset any tax credits from plan
l Juneau By ANNE SUTTON Associated Press Writer plan to tax oil companies as long as Alaska's natural gas remains untapped would penalize ConocoPhillips despite its willingness to move forward on con...

Van Meurs: Global gas competition tough 01/29/2006
Consultant says Alaska participation in gas pipeline will reduce investment required, keep total revenues to state the same
The administration of Alaska Gov. Frank Murkowski has been trying to move a pipeline gas project forward through negotiations for a fiscal certainty contract with the North Slope producers. In the 19...

Eminent domain issue draws six pre-files 01/08/2006
Four bills in House, two in Senate; all restrict use of power; one bill also would extend it for developing OandG resources
Bills pre-filed for the second session of the 24th Alaska Legislature include six prohibiting exercise of eminent domain for economic development. Eminent domain is the power to take private property...

Old, new bills on agenda 01/08/2006
House Ways to hear gas, oil tax bills; another proposes uniform permit app
The 24th Alaska Legislature reconvenes for its second session Jan. 9, and while it is waiting, along with the rest of the state, for a gas pipeline fiscal contract to review, it has other oil and gas...

Alaska gas tax initiative hits the street 08/14/2005
Democrats propose 2 cent tax per 1,000 cubic feet; Croft wants a project start date in pipeline contract
Alaska Lt. Gov. Loren Leman Aug. 3 gave sponsors the go-ahead to collect signatures for an initiative proposal to tax Alaska natural gas reserves, but the plan's main backer says he is waiting for app...

Producers can't warehouse North Slope natural gas 05/08/2005
Legislators told leases require companies to develop and market gas; can turn down other pipeline projects only if they market gas
The Alaska Legislature's Legislative Budget and Audit and Senate Resources committees heard from attorneys April 20 on the subject of what leaseholders are required to do under their leases to develop...

Democrats file Gasline Now bill 03/20/2005
Reps. Harry Crawford and Eric Croft, both Anchorage Democrats, have introduced a bill in the Alaska Legislature that they say will "jumpstart construction of a gas pipeline from the North Slope." The...

What comes next? 03/06/2005
Alaska wants to start staffing for its gas pipeline ownership entity
Alaska is moving ahead with fiscal negotiations for a natural gas pipeline project from the North Slope and expects to put a contract under the Alaska Stranded Gas Development Act before the Legislatu...

Governor wants roads to rev up economy in '05 12/12/2004
Murkowski's package includes roads to Point Thomson and the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska; extended North Slope drilling season; exploration incentives for Bristol Bay areawide sale lessees; and $30 million for gas pipeline work
Gov. Frank H. Murkowski's aggressive plans to rev up resource development in 2005 may encounter opposition in the Alaska Legislature on both sides of the aisle unless he is careful to craft fiscally a...

Alaska senators ask who should build gas pipeline 04/18/2004
Legislators hear pros and cons of producer- vs. non-producer-owned natural gas pipeline; Alaska's best interests at issue
It's more important to think about building the lowest-tariff pipeline to carry North Slope natural gas to market than worrying about who owns the line, Alaska legislators were told recently. "The rea...

Alaska House debates funding for state-owned natural gas pipeline 04/04/2004
The Alaska House continues to debate how much money to appropriate for review of a possible state-owned natural gas pipeline from the North Slope, with members March 31 deadlocked 20-20 on a proposal...

Alaska moves ahead on natural gas issues 03/28/2004
Funding closer for state project, private development negotiations
With less than seven weeks left in the session, Alaska lawmakers are moving toward funding - and expanding - the state's efforts to get a natural gas pipeline built. The Senate Finance Committee has a...

Politics snag natural gas line funding 03/07/2004
Alaska Legislature debates more money for state gas authority, negotiations
Funding for the Alaska Natural Gas Development Authority is caught up in legislative politics. Supporters want lawmakers to appropriate the full $2.15 million the authority says it needs for economic,...

Alaska gas reserves tax on the table 02/29/2004
Legislator says tax is good way to force North Slope gas line construction
None of Anchorage Rep. Eric Croft's 39 colleagues have stepped forward to co-sponsor his bill to impose a state property tax on North Slope natural gas reserves. Croft for the third time in five year...

State gas funding at issue 02/22/2004
Lawmakers grapple with $3 million request for pipeline, LNG efforts
Legislators are looking for more details before accepting the administration's recommendation to put an additional $3 million into Alaska's efforts to help move North Slope natural gas to market. No...

Alaska gas line authority violates contracting rules 02/22/2004
While lawmakers consider legislation to exempt the Alaska Natural Gas Development Authority from the state procurement code, the Department of Revenue has acknowledged the authority twice violated con...