Point Thomson EIS public meetings set 01/17/2010
Five public meetings have been set on the Point Thomson project environmental impact statement. The proposed project is an oil and natural gas condensate extraction operation at Point Thomson on the N...

Our Arctic Neighbors: Russians, Norwegians set standards 12/27/2009
Barents 2020 project concludes with recommendations on health, safety and environment for petroleum activities in the Barents Sea
Russian and Norwegian experts participating in the Barents 2020 project have presented their recommendations on common regulations for health, safety and the environment during petroleum activities in...

Mining News: Panel seeks staking ban for most of Peel 12/20/2009
Mining group worries recommendations will lock up valuable resources; start anti-mining trend in Yukon's other mineral-rich areas
A review panel has recommended that most of the Peel River watershed region in northeast Yukon Territory be withdrawn from industrial use, including mineral resource development. In long-awaited reco...

Beluga territory 12/06/2009
NMFS designates 3,016 square miles of CI beluga whale critical habitat
While controversy has reigned over the National Marine Fisheries Service October 2008 listing of the Cook Inlet beluga whale under the Endangered Species Act, NMFS has moved ahead with making a determ...

One more thing for oil sands 11/29/2009
Study says geopolitical events will determine sands development rate, markets served, upgrading, what environmental costs imposed
As if the Alberta oil sands don't have enough on their plate, figuring out economic and environmental challenges, a new study has tossed geopolitical ingredients into the mix. A joint report by the Lo...

Mining News: Nonprofit does not mean public interest 10/25/2009
Environmental groups benefit from blurring of distinctions as age-old concept of common good is subverted in self-interested trend
It seems that with the passage of time the concept of the common good, the general welfare and the public interest, all variations of the same theme, have become so diluted as to make them indeciphera...

Massive OCS feedback 10/25/2009
NOAA, Natives oppose much of 2010-'15 leasing plan; drillers, lawmakers endorse
A key scientific agency is advising the Obama administration against oil and gas leasing in large portions of the nation's Outer Continental Shelf. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration...

Our Arctic Neighbors: StatoilHydro drilling new Norwegian Sea well 09/27/2009
Norway's StatoilHydro has received consent from the Petroleum Safety Authority for exploration drilling in the Norwegian Sea at 66 degrees latitude with the mobile facility Ocean Vanguard, the PSA sai...

Arctic Directory: ConocoPhillips funds 'outdoor stories' transcripts 09/20/2009
As reported in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner on May 31, "Alaska Tracks: Sharing outdoors stories of old," by Randy Zarnke, president of Alaska Trappers Association, a new series will begin appearing...

Arctic Directory: CGGVeritas awarded two new BP seismic contracts 09/20/2009
CGGVeritas said Jan. 23 that it has been awarded two long-term seismic acquisition contracts by BP to undertake multiple high-end marine 3-D, wide-azimuth and 4-D seismic surveys. The first contract e...

Arctic Directory: Builders Choice Inc., an Alaska manufacturer getting tough jobs done on time 09/20/2009
High quality, lower cost solutions; BCI comes through for oil, gas, mining, and general contractors
Q. What do you most want people to know about your company? A. We are an all Alaska Company dedicated to promoting Alaska jobs and vendors as we construct modular buildings and engineered building...

AK-WA Connection 2009: Things to do in Seattle: dramatic arts 08/23/2009
The Emerald City offers visitors a potpourri of live entertainment, including some of the nation's finest theatrical experiences
If you ever find yourself with a free evening or two in Seattle, keep in mind that the city is a veritable "mecca" in the Pacific Northwest for cultural and dramatic arts. Or perhaps your company plan...

AK-WA Connection 2009: ACS sprints ahead in Alaska telecom race 08/23/2009
New fiber-optic cable brings geographical diversity, greater reliability to telecommunications provider's connections to Outside
When Alaska Communications Systems brought its new undersea fiber-optic cable on line in April, the company became the only telecommunications provider in Alaska with two subsea links that follow diff...

Our Arctic Neighbors: Pipeline planners deal with ice gouging 08/09/2009
Industry team to produce recommendations for designing offshore Arctic pipelines to resist massive pressure from ice movement
An international team of 13 industry representatives is trying to solve problems related to offshore pipelines in Arctic regions, Graeme Davis from risk management company Det Norske Veritas said in a...

Indecision hobbles Arctic natural gas 08/02/2009
Canada issues new strategy to strengthen Arctic sovereignty claims, develop region's resources; NEB lists Mackenzie project barriers
The Canadian government repeatedly makes the right noises about claiming sovereignty over a vast chunk of the Arctic and developing the region's resource potential. But its own energy regulator, the N...

Mining News: Park expansion provides for mine access 07/26/2009
The Canadian government recently approved a massive expansion of the Nahanni National Park Reserve of Canada, a move being hailed as a win for both conservation and economic development. "Nahanni is o...

Mining News: Teck Resources mine rescue teams earn 11 safety awards 07/26/2009
The Province of British Columbia recognized two of Teck Resources Ltd.'s coal operations for excellence in mine safety at the 54th Annual Provincial Mine Rescue, First Aid and Safety Awards ceremony h...

BP in Alaska: Legacy of corporate citizenship, social investment 07/12/2009
Alaska is large in landmass but small in population, and today more than ever, the company's 2,000 employees are making a difference across the state. Employees currently support more than 700 communi...

BP in Alaska: Alaska's 1969 windfall 07/12/2009
Prudhoe Bay discovery attracts bidders from around world to lease sale auction
The size of the Prudhoe Bay field attracted worldwide attention, and this translated into an enormous level of interest. By the time the sale rolled around on Sept. 1, 1969, the Anchorage airport was...

Our Arctic Neighbors: High standards goal for Barents Sea projects 07/12/2009
Norwegian government has initiated expert meetings with the Russians to harmonize industry standards for offshore Arctic region
Representatives of the Russian and Norwegian governments and the countries' oil companies met in late June and early July to hear and discuss a status report from risk management company Det Norske Ve...

Gas drags Alberta down 07/12/2009
One-time petroleum powerhouse reeling from slump in commodity prices
It's not as bad as forecasters expected. In fact, it's worse. Forget the Alberta government's boastings about 15 straight years of budget surpluses and its almost unheard-of debt-free status. That's s...

Oil Patch Bits: ConocoPhillips funds 'outdoor stories' transcripts 06/07/2009
As reported in the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner on May 31, "Alaska Tracks: Sharing outdoors stories of old," by Randy Zarnke, president of Alaska Trappers Association, a new series will begin appearing...

BP plans seismic in Canadian Beaufort 06/07/2009
A year after rolling the dice in the Canadian Beaufort Sea, BP has served notice it will conduct a three-dimensional seismic program this summer. It told the National Energy Board that its Pokak 3-D p...

Moving on Liberty 05/03/2009
SDI, river bridge upgrade and drilling rig construction near completion
After years of planning and design there are now tangible signs on the ground of progress towards first oil from BP's 100 million-barrel Liberty field, offshore in the Beaufort Sea, about 15 miles eas...

Oil Patch Insider 04/19/2009
Hi-ho, hi-ho it's off to work we go ...; reigning in the Stampede
Most jobs are good jobs in these economic times, except at Devon Energy, where it seems most jobs are great. The big independent - with 5,500 worldwide employees, the bulk of them in North America - h...