Valdez refinery returns to full output 11/15/2009
Safety systems improved as cause of last December's fire remains undetermined; plans laid to make low-sulfur diesel at refinery
Petro Star Inc. has resumed full operations at its small Valdez crude oil refinery following a fire last December that local fire officials estimated did about $20 million in damage. Petro Star, a sub...

Arctic Directory: Alaska Railroad releases 2008 annual report 09/20/2009
The Alaska Railroad Corp. said April 8 that it has released its 2008 annual report with audited financial statements showing earnings of $12.6 million on total revenues of $180.4 million. "2008 was u...

AK-WA Connection 2009: Green works for Alaska-Washington trade 08/23/2009
Puget Sound ports, customers and others pursue environment initiatives, tout advantages of reducing emission of greenhouse gases
Businesses in the Alaska-Washington trade are focusing on an increasing number of green initiatives, working to benefit the environment and the bottom line. The ports of Seattle and Tacoma, for examp...

The Explorers 2008: ConocoPhillips searching near and far 11/23/2008
Biggest producer in Alaska focusing exploration on NPR-A and Chukchi, while pursuing gas pipeline
In its ongoing effort to develop the resources of northern Alaska, ConocoPhillips has embraced westward expansion with a dual approach: big leaps and tiny steps. On the one hand, the Houston-based me...

Startup gets caught in cost squeeze 10/05/2008
Privately held Value Creation's move in September to halt work on its Heartland project in Edmonton points to upgrader troubles
For a quick lesson in the hazards of breaking into Alberta's oil sands business you don't have to go beyond the story of privately-held startup Value Creation and its subsidiary BA Energy. From its or...

Refinery newcomer on the prowl 08/24/2008
Trust prepared to gamble C$2 billion on an expansion of its Newfoundland plant, looking for a partner to share the risk
Canadian refining novice, Harvest Energy Trust, is ready to gamble C$2 billion on an expansion of its Newfoundland plant, so long as it can find a partner willing to share the risk. The trust's dar...

Newfoundland gets fresh lift 03/30/2008
White Rose, Terra Nova may expand; optimism for discovery off west coast
Every bit as turbulent as the Atlantic Ocean that pounds its shoreline, Newfoundland finds itself in a rare condition these days as hope builds on a number of fronts - possible expansion of its White...

Conoco: ULSD facility won't be built 12/02/2007
State of Alaska's tax changes blamed; Revenue Commissioner Pat Galvin says facility wouldn't have qualified under 2006 PPT
A proposed upgrade to a North Slope topping plant to produce the ultra-low-sulfur diesel required to meet federal government standards of no more than 15 parts per million of sulfur has been canceled...

Peace River gets refinery plan, faces suit 10/14/2007
The Peace River area of northwestern Alberta, seen as the next leg of the province's oil sands development, has taken one step forward and one back. Privately owned Bluesky Refining is moving ahead wi...

Coal gasification options in Alaska 10/29/2006
DOE/SAIC studying coal gasification at Nikiski and coal to liquids at Healy; Nikiski plant looks marginally economic
In the portfolio of possibilities for the development of Alaska energy resources, coal gasification has taken a prominent position in the past year. In November 2005 Agrium announced its Blue Sky proj...

Ultra-low sulfur diesel is here 04/30/2006
Switch-over looms for Alaska highways, equipment, but cost, accountability uncertainties linger; DEC working with industry
After years of talk and trepidation, Alaska's diesel sector is ready to convert to using an ultra-low sulfur product in most mobile engines, including trucks and construction equipment. The switchover...

Tesoro ready for upgrades in Nikiski 06/04/2006
Petroleum refiner plans to add $45 million sulfur-stripping operation to meet Alaska's need for ultra-low-sulfur diesel
Tesoro Alaska is moving ahead with plans to add a hydro-treating facility to its 72,000 barrel-per-day petroleum refinery in Nikiski. The $45 million project will enable Tesoro, one of Alaska's leadi...

Conoco to develop West Alpine 09/25/2005
Company applies for pad, road, Nigliq Channel crossing; CD-5 in NPR-A
ConocoPhillips Alaska has filed applications to begin development work on a third Alpine satellite, West Alpine, changing the sequence of development for the satellites. Alpine West, on section 8, to...

Katrina makes EIA short-term problematic 09/11/2005
Agency offers three scenarios based on fast, medium and slow recovery; in all, return to normal production expected by December
The Department of Energy's Energy Information Administration said Sept. 7 that because of uncertainties about the specific extent of hurricane Katrina's damage on facilities in the Gulf of Mexico it i...

MINING NEWS: Coal cash: coal-to-liquids being studied 07/24/2005
Federal, state agencies pursue lucrative potential for converting Beluga's vast reserves into synthetic transportation, power fuels
U.S. energy legislation currently working its way toward finalization in Congress provides $200 million in aid for programs that develop ways to convert coal into synthetic fuels such as clean diesel,...

Flint Hills puts Alaska refinery project on hold 05/29/2005
North Pole refiner has until January 2007 to invest $100 million; says will announce clean-fuels project in next few weeks
Flint Hills has delayed awarding a $200 million contract to expand its North Pole refinery, the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner reported May 25. The project would have allowed the refinery to produce low-s...

Nigeria gets GTL plant 05/01/2005
Qatar delays Conoco, Marathon GTL plans as LNG takes share of gas
Two projects to turn Nigerian natural gas into liquid fuels have been approved by the government in the African country, and Halliburton has received a $1.7 billion contract to build the biggest proje...

Imperial to upgrade four refineries 10/31/2004
Imperial Oil is spending C$500 million to upgrade its four refineries across Canada to comply with new federal standards for low-sulfur diesel. Half of the budget will go to the company's largest refi...

SDC drillship returns to Beaufort Sea 12/02/2001
Steel drilling caisson has been stacked at Port Clarence north of Nome since finishing the Cabot well for ARCO Alaska in the spring of 1992
The SDC - short for steel drilling caisson - is being brought back into the Beaufort Sea by AEC Oil and Gas of Calgary, Alberta, to drill an exploration well at the McCovey prospect north of Prudhoe Bay...

Interior spending bill includes money for Alaska projects 07/30/2001
The Interior Department spending bill approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee June 28 includes just under $3 million for the Bureau of Land Management to conduct oil leasing work on the North...