Oil Patch Insider 11/25/2007
For whom the Bell tolls
These are early days, but Brendan Bell could be entering rarified atmosphere as a politician from northern Canada who can make his mark at the federal level. Youthful, energetic and on top of his file...

Oil Patch Insider 11/11/2007
Bill Webb designs new, 'fun' Pac Com Expo, set Feb. 5-6
For people who are "conferenced-out" there is a get-together in early 2008 that looks like fun. Serious fun. (And better, no political speeches.) The event is Pac Com Expo on Feb. 5 and 6 in Anchorage...

Oil Patch Insider 10/14/2007
Danny is The Man to people of Newfoundland, Labrador
Whatever Big Oil may think of Danny Williams there's no doubt where he stands among the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. The pit-bull premier led his Conservative government in a re-election romp...

Oil Patch Insider 10/07/2007
'Get it right Alberta' Web site launched to fight proposed royalty increases
They describe themselves as "concerned Albertans, including private citizens, small oil and gas companies and members of the investment community." They have "come together" to launch a new Web site -...

Oil Patch Insider 09/23/2007
Effort scaled down, but Arctic Power still carrying ANWR banner in D.C. for Alaska
If you're wondering whether the State of Alaska is asleep at the wheel regarding ANWR, the answer is no: Dozing maybe, but not asleep. In May, $750,000 previously appropriated to Arctic Power for educ...

Oil Patch Insider 09/09/2007
Shell tries to help Cook Inlet explorers Renaissance, Escopeta
Over the past few months independents Renaissance Alaska and Escopeta Oil have been talking to Shell about using one of the major's Beaufort Sea drilling units for offshore wells in Alaska's Cook Inle...

Oil Patch Insider 08/26/2007
Boyd joins Norsk Hydro in Alaska; Arctic Energy Summit extends early bird deadline to Sept. 7
Norsk Hydro USA has hired Ken Boyd as a consultant in Alaska. Jim Meek, manager of business development for the Houston-based affiliate of Norway's mega-major Hydro, said Boyd would be the company's "...

Oil Patch Insider 08/19/2007
Renaissance plans to bring jack-up to Cook Inlet next summer
A Cook Inlet independent hopes to bring a jack-up to Cook Inlet next summer. In an Aug. 14 interview with Petroleum News, Renaissance Alaska LLC executive Mark Landt said his company has bids from two...

Oil Patch Insider 08/12/2007
Petroleum News headline sends wrong message for Enbridge
An article in the Aug. 5 issue of Petroleum News carried a headline that was misleading. It said: "Enbridge sends mixed messages on gas line." In fact, that's not what the story says and, more importa...

Oil Patch Insider 08/05/2007
Oil sands grind down doubter BP; Alaska exploration buzz baseless, says BP; Palin calls PPT special session
BP likes spreading the message that its initials stand for Beyond Petroleum. How about Behind our Peers? Well, that was the case until this year when the global supermajor decided to clamber aboard th...

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...

Oil Patch Insider 07/15/2007
Forest Alaska asset sale still in works; Savant gets Kuukpik rig; McIntosh joins Brooks Range; Crowley appoints Cox
When Forest Oil announced the sale of its Alaska assets to Pacific Energy Resources at the end of May, the companies expected the deal to close by June 30, with Pacific Energy taking over Forest's ope...

Oil Patch Insider 07/01/2007
Doogan says PPT special session in doubt; Neufeld coming to Alaska; Billon promoted
If you miss Mike Doogan's column in the Anchorage Daily News, sign up to receive his electronic newsletter to constituents. In the latest edition, columnist-turned-politician Alaska Rep. Doogan had th...

Oil Patch Insider 06/24/2007
Prank involving Reggie's 'remains' inflames GO-Expo organizers; Ehm named president of Fowler Oil and Gas (Alaska), moving ahead with coalbed methane in Mat-Su
It was the oil and gas show of the year in Canada. More than 600 exhibitors and 21,000 visitors from 54 countries registered for the three-day Gas and Oil Exposition 2007 (GO-Expo) in Calgary. Fertile...

Oil Patch Insider 06/17/2007
Icebreakers head to Alaska for Shell
Offshore Shipping Online said June 11 that Finstaship had reported the departure of the icebreaker Fennica from Norway for the northern coast of Alaska. The multi-purpose vessel is expected?to arrive...

Oil Patch Insider 06/10/2007
Rowan rig to drill Cosmo; Stallion buys Rowan's Alaska camps; Moore named to Shell's Alaska team
Houston-based Rowan Companies, an international offshore and land drilling contractor, is bringing its first drill rig to Alaska in many years. Rowan 68, a brand new rig, is coming to Alaska in July...

Oil Patch Insider 05/27/2007
Alberta urged to tread carefully in royalty, tax changes; CH2M Hill eyes VECO
Chevron Canada doesn't regard Alberta's combined oil royalties and taxes as onerous by world standards, but President Mark Nelson warns that the fiscal regime is a delicate balancing act by the govern...

Oil Patch Insider 05/20/2007
The Buckee view of global oil; IOGCC selects Palin
World oil production has peaked, putting an end to the era of cheap energy, says Talisman Energy Chief Executive Officer Jim Buckee, who holds a doctorate in astrophysics from Oxford University. Give...