Petro Star Valdez plans ULSD upgrades 05/03/2009
Upgrades will allow the plant to produce ultra-low sulfur diesel and ultra-low sulfur kerosene in time for 2010 federal deadline
Petro Star Inc. will upgrade its Valdez refinery this year to produce low sulfur fuels. The upgrades involve constructing a new system for producing and storing ultra-low sulfur diesel and ultra-low s...

AK-WA Connection 2008: Foss Maritime earns environmental honors 11/30/2008
Coast Guard, EPA, others recognize Seattle-based company's outstanding efforts; unique northwest Alaska operation nears 20th year
Foss Maritime is earning an impressive collection of accolades for its outstanding corporate commitment to protecting the environment. The Seattle-based transportation company, which touts its longtim...

Bowles: Can't lose sight of prices 11/30/2008
Although ConocoPhillips does not release its annual budget until mid-December, ConocoPhillips Alaska President Jim Bowles reiterated plans for the company to drill two exploration wells in the Nationa...

BP breaks a billion 11/30/2008
Amid new taxes and sinking prices, BP plans $1.2 capex program for 2009
BP is budgeting $1.2 billion in capital expenditures for Alaska in 2009, a 33 percent increase from current year spending, according to the outgoing president of the local subsidiary. But the company...

Montana refinery expansion stalled 10/12/2008
Turmoil in financial markets has produced another casualty in the oil sands-related upgrading/refinery sector, with Connacher Oil and Gas shelving a $500 million plan to boost capacity at its Montana...

Conoco budgets $1B capex for 2008 03/02/2008
Maintains figure still doesn't account for ACES increases; capital and exploration spending in Alaska in 2007 was $622 million
After flirting with the figure late in 2007, ConocoPhillips once again signaled plans to spend more than $1 billion on capital projects and exploration in Alaska this year, but insisted the recent pro...

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...

Investment at risk 11/18/2007
Oil company execs says consequences dire if Alaska hikes taxes again
Investment in Alaska is in jeopardy if the state's oil production tax is overhauled in such a way that it significantly increases the State of Alaska's take, oil company executives told attendees of t...

Regulators to revise TAPS Quality Bank 07/22/2007
State commissioners, federal judges hear testimony in concurrent hearings on proposed cost adjustment to value of ANS crude
The Regulatory Commission of Alaska and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission wrapped up more than a week of concurrent hearings July 18 on how best to revise the processing cost adjustment to the heav...

Low sulfur diesel plant up to the task 07/15/2007
New $64M distillate desulfurization unit at Tesoro's Nikiski refinery can be expanded in event of increased demand in Alaska
With the startup at the end of May of the new $64 million distillate desulfurization unit at Tesoro's Nikiski refinery on the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska now has an in-state source of low sulfur diesel. T...

'Gorilla' project unveiled 06/24/2007
U.S. oil refinery would be first in three decades; cost ranges from $8-to $10B
After months of speculating among farmers and community leaders near Elk Point, S.D., the so-called "Gorilla" project has finally been unmasked: a huge 400,000 barrel per day "green" oil refinery and...

LNG plant owners cry foul 06/10/2007
Conoco, Marathon: SC Alaska has lots of gas, utilities must fix winter deliverability
When Marathon and ConocoPhillips asked the U.S. Department of Energy in January to extend their export license for the Alaska LNG plant from its current 2009 expiration date to 2011, most people seeme...

KUPARUK ANNIVERSARY: ULSD plant going in at Kuparuk in '08 01/21/2007
Arctic ultra low sulfur diesel facility will serve both ConocoPhillips, BP North Slope operations
By the end of 2008 Kuparuk will produce ultra low sulfur diesel at a new facility at CPF-3. And by agreement with the Air Division at the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, that diesel...

Conoco advances on ultra low sulfur diesel for Alaska North Slope 12/31/2006
With the clock ticking on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's mandated introduction of ultra low sulfur diesel fuel, ConocoPhillips has submitted permit applications for the construction of an...

Felmy: Dispelling oil price myths 05/07/2006
American Petroleum Institute chief economist reviews the facts on oil prices, oil company profits and oil company investments
With escalating gasoline prices hitting people's pocket books and oil companies reporting record profits, phrases such as "windfall profits tax" and "gasoline price controls" have re-entered political...

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...

Busy times for Conoco 01/29/2006
Construction, well work hit highs; exploration near Teshekpuk, in Chukchi
To stem the decline in North Slope oil production ConocoPhillips is forging ahead on three fronts: developing new satellite fields near the Alpine field, developing viscous or heavy oil in the central...

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...

DEC will follow national plan for ultra-low diesel 04/07/2002
June 13, 2002, extension will be requested on how to transition to new fuel in rural Alaska
Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Michele Brown said April 1 that Alaska will follow the national plan proposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for the transitio...

Qatar Petroleum, ExxonMobil sign letter of intent for GTL project 06/25/2001
Qatar Petroleum and Exxon Mobil Corp. have signed a letter of intent to conduct a technical feasibility study for a world-scale gas-to-liquids plant in Qatar. The letter of intent was signed June 15...

AkPIRG launches summer campaign to end Alaska's use of "dirty diesel" 06/25/2001
Alaska Public Interest Research Group wants end to Alaska's exemption to 1990 Clean Air Act, but refiners say U.S. guidelines impractical for Alaska
The Alaska Public Interest Research Group intends to knock on 50,000 doors in Alaska this summer in a campaign to end Alaska's use of "dirty diesel" fuel. AkPIRG canvassers are currently active in An...