Energy Committee lays out draft bills 12/27/2009
Policy bill includes energy efficiency; omnibus bill includes Energy Department to give cabinet-level focus to Alaska energy issues
The Alaska House Special Committee on Energy is preparing two bills for introduction in next year's session of the Legislature: a state energy policy bill and an energy omnibus bill which incorporates...

Planning for different power outcomes 12/20/2009
In developing an integrated resource plan for power generation and transmission in the Alaska Railbelt, consultancy firm Black and Veatch evaluated four possible future power scenarios, Kevin Harper, Bl...

Exploration credits holding steady 12/20/2009
Proposed FY 2011 budget has $180M for tax credits, funds in-state and out-of-state gas, variety of other resource-related projects
The $10.5 billion budget proposed by Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell on Dec. 14 continues to fund many resource development projects started under the Palin administration, and creates several new projects,...

Power for the future 12/20/2009
AEA publishes draft integrated resource plan for Alaska Railbelt electricity
The Alaska Energy Authority has published a draft regional integrated resource plan that presents options and recommendations for the future of electricity power generation, transmission and demand ma...

Parnell budgets Umiat road permitting 12/13/2009
Proposes $8 million line item in FY 2011 budget for permitting an all-season road; claims lack of infrastructure holding up development
Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell is planning to include $8 million in his fiscal year 2011 budget for the Department of Transportation and Public Facilities to permit a road to Umiat. A road to Umiat, a stag...

Speakers highlight oil's importance 12/13/2009
Goldsmith, Langland, Samuels urge more attention for oil industry if Alaska is to have vibrant economy, avoid state budget crisis as production declines in next few years
An economist, a banker and a politician sounded a familiar alarm Dec. 8 at a special luncheon of the Resource Development Council for Alaska: The state's vital oil production is running out, the indus...

Seeking answers 12/13/2009
15 lawmakers ask Parnell if state oil tax policy helps or hurts Alaska investment
A group of leading state legislators on Dec. 4 asked Gov. Sean Parnell for a raft of information they want to use to evaluate whether the 2007 oil tax reform is helping or hurting industry investment...

ANGDA, agencies, at odds on EIS process 12/06/2009
Corps of Engineers has issues with description of Beluga-to-Fairbanks gas line; BLM doesn't think ANGDA has authority to go north
Federal agencies are butting heads with the Alaska Natural Gas Development Authority over its project description for the proposed Beluga-to-Fairbanks or B2F gas line and over its authority to permit...

ANGDA advancing propane, gas co-op 11/22/2009
Alaska Natural Gas Development Authority asks for discussion of synergy with FNG, Alaska Gasline Port Authority LNG project
The board of directors of the Alaska Natural Gas Development Authority got one meeting it's been asking for - a closed-door session with Gov. Sean Parnell - and asked for another, this one with the Co...

Pearce steps down as gas line coordinator 11/22/2009
President asked for resignation; legislative aide Persily says feds are checking his background for 'possible federal position'
Drue Pearce, the first and so far the only person to hold the position of federal coordinator for Alaska natural gas transportation projects, announced Nov. 16 she'll vacate the job at the request of...

Unifying the power grid 11/22/2009
Plan for Alaska Railbelt power generation and transmission company takes shape
The tight energy supply situation in Southcentral Alaska is reaching a point where some major decisions need to be made, given the increasing threat of a shortfall in the rate at which Cook Inlet natu...

Oil Patch Insider: TransCanada on Arctic gas; RDC conference Nov. 18-19; Buffett cash to build Alaska gas line? 11/15/2009
TransCanada, with a financial stake in the Mackenzie Gas Project and the prospect of operating the main gas pipeline to southern markets, but no ownership position, is ideally situated to tell it stra...

Risk analysis gets low marks from NAS 10/25/2009
National peer review recommends Alaska take a top-down look at oil and gas failures costliest to state, get industry cooperation
An oil and gas infrastructure risk assessment methodology developed by a contractor for the State of Alaska has received failing marks in a review by the National Academy of Sciences. After Prudhoe B...

AEA seeks third round of grant proposals 10/18/2009
Program aimed at reducing dependence on fossil fuel-based power generation; $125 million awarded to 107 projects earlier this year
The Alaska Energy Authority is once again seeking proposals for renewable energy projects under an ambitious grant program aimed at reducing communities' dependence on costly fossil- fuel-based power...

Railbelt crossroads 10/11/2009
Gas-dependent SC Alaska tries to determine how to meet energy needs
As the Municipality of Anchorage prepares for the possibility of natural gas shortages during the cold of the coming winter, shortages that would cause the electric utilities to activate contingency p...

Walker announces bid for Alaska governor 10/04/2009
Anchorage attorney Bill Walker jumped into the race for governor Sept. 28 and declared that construction of a natural gas pipeline from the North Slope to Valdez will be the focus of his campaign. "Th...

Salazar says he's in no hurry on decision 09/27/2009
Public comment period closes Sept. 21 on Department of Interior's five-year OCS plan; Parnell pushing for Alaska OCS development
Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said Sept. 17 he's in no hurry to make a decision on whether to allow offshore drilling in federal waters off Alaska and other states, a remark that disappointed advocat...

Arctic Directory: Alaska Railroad Corp. Board of Directors 09/20/2009
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has appointed Steve Menard and reappointed John Binkley to the Alaska Railroad Corp. board of directors. The seven-member board is responsible for managing and operating the...

ANGDA moving on propane, supply co-op 09/13/2009
Authority board wants to meet with new governor, energy advisor; still working evaluation of route for gas line to Southcentral
The Alaska Natural Gas Development Authority met Sept. 3 in Anchorage, heard from contractors on propane and supply co-op projects, but didn't resolve how it will tackle the role the Legislature assig...

October target for ROW applications 09/06/2009
State's standalone gas line project will permit two routes, one along Parks Highway, one along Richardson and Glenn highways
A state-directed team working on costs and feasibility for a standalone Alaska gas pipeline aims to have a summary of alternative routes complete by early September, including a Parks Highway route wh...

Two state officials move to new positions 08/30/2009
Sen. Gene Therriault says he'll become energy adviser to Gov. Parnell, while Division of Oil and Gas loses Nan Thompson to Enstar
Two public officials familiar to many in Alaska energy circles are taking new jobs. State Sen. Gene Therriault, a Republican from the North Pole community near Fairbanks, announced Aug. 21 he's accept...

Gas shortage stirs pols 08/09/2009
Governor, mayor, senator seek energy security as CI natural gas runs low
Alaska political leaders are seizing on what's fast becoming a burning issue: the potential for electric power or heating outages this winter in the state's population center as supplies of Cook Inlet...

Oil Patch Insider 08/02/2009
In-state gas pipeline schedules bus tour for Alaska legislators
The Alaska Stand Alone Natural Gas Pipeline is inviting legislators on a bus tour of the northern segment of the project's proposed route. What pipeline project? First there was AGPA, the Alaska Gas...

Mining News: EPA wants second look at Kensington plan 07/26/2009
The federal agency seeks re-evaluation of gold project's tailings permit; leaders say Supreme Court ruling should be final word
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has asked the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to take another look at the tailings disposal permit it issued for the Kensington gold project near Juneau. In a Jul...

RCA closes docket for Railbelt grid 07/26/2009
The Regulatory Commission of Alaska decided July 15 to close its docket regarding potential regulations for the creation of an electricity generation and transmission cooperative or unified power pool...