THE EXPLORERS 2007: Chevron: working across the state 11/18/2007
White Hills exploration to begin this winter, company continues to look at Cook Inlet opportunities
Chevron, an oil and gas explorer and producer in Alaska for decades, will begin exploration drilling this winter at its White Hills prospect in the Brooks Range foothills on the southern edge of the N...

ARCTIC ENERGY SUMMIT: High Arctic: industry's last oil and gas frontier 10/14/2007
There's one thing industry hopefully can look to when the Earth's offshore oil and gas resources south of the giant Arctic icecap are exhausted. Many geologists now believe this vast and frigid region...

Mark Myers on USGS, scientific challenges 09/23/2007
U.S. Geological Survey Director Mark Myers, an AAPG member who was nominated by President Bush and confirmed by the Senate in 2006, heads up an entity that has more than 10,000 scientists, technicians...

Polar bear population seen declining 09/16/2007
Two-thirds of the world's polar bears will be killed off by 2050 - and the entire population gone from Alaska - because of thinning sea ice from global warming in the Arctic, government scientists for...

Greenland resources get fine-tuning in USGS report 09/02/2007
A U.S. Geological Survey report gives a little more meaning to the "green" in Greenland. In a study of the East Greenland Rift Basins Province, which covers about 500,000 square kilometers, the USGS f...

DNR in a losing battle for talent 08/26/2007
Department of Natural Resources' Kathy Sheehan-Dugan predicts serious problems for future project development if trend continues
The number of positions open in the Alaska Department for Natural Resources are too numerous to list, but Kathy Sheehan-Dugan says that virtually all job classes have vacancies. With a 27 percent annu...

Touring the North Slope 07/29/2007
Myers, Houseknecht, Mull join in show and tell with industry, state, federal geologists
The annual North Slope show-and-tell tour, organized by Alaska's Division of Geological and Geophysical Surveys, has become something of an institution among North Slope geologists. And this year's to...

Chevron back again 07/29/2007
Plans to drill up to 6 wells this winter at North Slope White Hills prospect
Chevron - and Unocal, which it acquired in 2005 - have held leases on Alaska's North Slope since before production began there in the late 1970s. While some of that acreage is part of producing fields...

Exxon gets cold shoulder 04/08/2007
Point Thomson operator's drilling plan for defunct leases, unit ignored by DNR
On March 23, ExxonMobil filed a "plan of operations" for the eastern North Slope "Point Thomson area" with the Alaska Department of Natural Resources' Division of Oil and Gas. Unlike previous Point...

Congress gets climate change warnings 03/25/2007
Two Alaskans from different camps joined others in urging Congress March 20 to take action to address climate change. Deborah Williams, Alaska conservation activist and former special assistant for A...

MEET ALASKA 2007: Envisioning Alaska's oil and gas future 01/21/2007
Kevin Banks says division will pursue petroleum development in state, while keeping close tabs on industry's obligations
Petroleum News: What is the direction in which you see the Alaska Division of Oil and Gas heading? Kevin Banks: If I had to come up with a slogan, it would be, "oil and gas development on our terms."...

DNR says no to Exxon 12/31/2006
Rutherford: lessees had notice; 'poor policy' to certify nonexistent wells
The State of Alaska is continuing to indicate it will kick start development of the languishing Point Thomson field, with a denial of reconsideration of the commissioner's decision issued Dec. 27 by a...

Galvin appointed Revenue commissioner 12/10/2006
Alaska's new governor appoints more commissioners, chief of staff; bases choices on ability, not party politics
Party affiliation is playing no role in Sarah Palin's selection of Alaskans to fill the highest rungs of her administration, the Republican governor-elect said Dec. 1 after introducing another round o...

Palin selects Rutherford to head DNR 12/03/2006
Former deputy commissioner to hit ground running; gas line discussions with producers, explorers to begin immediately
After Gov.-elect Sarah Palin named Tom Irwin leader of the transition team for the Alaska Department of Natural Resources it came as no surprise Nov. 28 when she announced Marty Rutherford would be ac...

Point Thomson in default 12/03/2006
State of Alaska wants to offer leases with new terms requiring development
The State of Alaska has put the Point Thomson unit into default, and said leases from the unit could be offered as early as October, depending on whether the present leaseholders file suit and whether...

Alaska scientist making his mark at USGS 11/26/2006
Resignation from DNR's Division of Oil and Gas proved fortuitous for Mark Myers, who is now director of a national agency
What a difference a year makes. Mark Myers couldn't have been more accurate in using those words to describe his dramatic shift in fortunes since he resigned as head of Alaska's Division of Oil and Ga...

Thomson on the table 11/26/2006
Companies say little at hearing; agencies, port authority comments negative
Alaska legislators are concerned Gov. Frank Murkowski will sign a gas pipeline fiscal contract with North Slope producers ExxonMobil, BP and Chevron before he leaves office in early December. There is...

Piecing together the Palin puzzle 11/19/2006
Statements made during her campaign shed light on Alaska governor-elect's strategies and plans regarding major oil and gas issues
Sarah Palin's gubernatorial campaign slogan "New Energy for Alaska" promised a fresh look at Alaska's future and hinted that the energy industry would feature high on her administration's agenda. But...