Mining News: No man is safe from the Legislature 05/30/2010
State needs to grant authority to North Slope Borough to impose reasonable regulations without igniting epidemic of bureaucracy
Mark Twain once pointedly observed that "no man's life, liberty or property is safe when the Legislature is in session." Certainly, we can all feel much safer when the 90th day of the Alaska Legislat...

Point Thomson settlement offered 03/30/2008
Eastern North Slope unit's working interest owners offer milestones for work in 23rd plan of development; agree to termination if not met, but with conditions
The major Point Thomson unit owners - ExxonMobil, BP, Chevron and ConocoPhillips - have proposed a settlement in their dispute with the State of Alaska over the development of the unit. The basis of...

MINING NEWS: Water use bill goes back to drawing board 03/25/2007
Some residents of Bristol Bay area say they desperately need economic development, including Pebble mine; others afraid for fisheries
A bill in the Alaska Legislature that would place severe restrictions on water use in the Bristol Bay area is undergoing revision by its sponsor, Rep. Bryce Edgmon, D-Dillingham. House Bill 134, wa...

MINING NEWS: Alaska mining news summary: Tight personnel, equipment market in busy mining industry 02/25/2007
Okay, the lull is over. It lasted about 25, maybe 30 minutes, after I wrote those prophetic but ill-considered words in late January! Shortly after that point I was in Vancouver for the annual Cordill...

MEET ALASKA 2007: Alaska wants gas pipeline, but industry needs fairness, predictability 01/21/2007
Petroleum News: What advice do you offer Alaska's new governor, Gov. Sarah Palin? Jim Eason: My advice is centered on what she apparently is doing, based on her public comments and her comments befor...

MEET ALASKA 2007: Don't sweat the small stuff 01/21/2007
Boyd urges Gov. Palin to focus on gas line, inter-agency conflicts and issues critical to Alaska's future
Petroleum News: What advice do you have for Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin regarding oil and gas matters? Ken Boyd: I think you can't really expect more giant oil fields on state land. Just offsetting the d...

Palin to consider all gas pipeline proposals; preliminary meetings with 12 firms, agencies held; state negotiating team being formed 12/10/2006
The new administration has had initial meetings with those involved in - or wanting to be involved in - an Alaska North Slope gas commercialization project, and came away with information to assimilat...

Oil Patch Insider 12/03/2006
Truth or chatter? President to lift Bristol Bay drilling moratorium
Depending on who you talk to the rumor that President Bush will lift the Bristol Bay drilling moratorium is either a formal request from the Department of Interior he is planning to grant in time for...

Point Thomson in default 12/03/2006
State of Alaska wants to offer leases with new terms requiring development
The State of Alaska has put the Point Thomson unit into default, and said leases from the unit could be offered as early as October, depending on whether the present leaseholders file suit and whether...

MINING NEWS: Mining and the Law: What if we don't get a gas pipeline? 11/26/2006
I don't know whether Alaskans will ever see a gas pipeline or not. Of course, I hope we will, but if we don't, how will we pay the cost of operating the state? We know these things. The all-Alaska pip...

Non-negotiated changes will be proposed 11/05/2006
Clark tells legislators sponsor group doesn't want to negotiate with Murkowski administration because 'you guys are leaving'
Even though the Murkowski administration won't be in office to complete a North Slope gas fiscal contract, it has responded to public comments on the contract and discussed those comments - and contra...

Prudhoe shutdown could cost state $2B 08/27/2006
But with PPT in place State of Alaska still comes out $308-$999 million ahead at Revenue's $53.60 per barrel price case estimate
With the majority of the State of Alaska's revenues coming from royalties and severance taxes from crude oil production, the results of shutting down half of Prudhoe Bay - the state's and the nation's...

Geothermal powers resort 08/27/2006
New UTC plant uses low-temp water, saves small fortune by replacing diesel
Battling sub-zero temperatures is always a challenge for energy projects in Alaska, but now it's also possible to tap into the natural heat source that lies beneath the ground and use it to produce el...

Gas contract fixable, says Hanley: Anadarko hopes for governor's support to revise access, expansion provisions 08/06/2006
Mark Hanley says the proposed North Slope gas pipeline contract can be revised to the satisfaction of Anadarko Petroleum. Hanley is the Houston independent's Alaska spokesman. The former state represe...

PPT, contract on deck again in Juneau 07/23/2006
Gov. Murkowski tells legislators time is now for Alaska gas project, before Lower 48 locks in agreements for foreign LNG
The Alaska Legislature gaveled in for its second special session of the summer July 12, heard from the governor, did a couple of days of committee work in the Senate and then took a week off so member...

Former DNR officials: Contract a bad deal 06/18/2006
Irwin, Rutherford say state is subsidizing the North Slope gas pipeline to the tune of $13.25 billion in contract governor negotiated
The proposed gas fiscal contract is a bad deal for the state, former Department of Natural Resource officials Tom Irwin and Marty Rutherford told Petroleum News following a Commonwealth North presenta...

Gas bills drop 06/04/2006
Gov. Murkowski sends stranded gas changes, pipeline corp., challenge bills
While the administration of Alaska Gov. Frank Murkowski continues with public hearings around the state on the proposed gas pipeline fiscal contract it negotiated with the North Slope project sponsors...

MINING NEWS: Railroads could unlock Alaska minerals 03/26/2006
Lack of infrastructure in Alaska makes it difficult to access remote areas; two proposed railroads could change the scenery
Two Alaskans prominent in the mining industry have spent years nurturing dreams of railroads. Both presented their visions at the Arctic International Mining Symposium in Fairbanks the week of March 1...

MMS plans to study leasing North Aleutian basin's OCS 02/12/2006
2007-12 five-year plan includes proposed sales in Chukchi Sea, Beaufort Sea
Responding to a request from Gov. Frank Murkowski the Department of the Interior's Minerals Management Service has included a study of the North Aleutian basin in its draft 2007-2012 outer continental...

Big transportation projects in budget 01/01/2006
$50 million to study linking Alaska and Canada by rail in Gov. Murkowski's proposal, along with planning for North Slope roads
A railroad to Canada is one of a few huge transportation projects the governor wants to fund with tens of millions of dollars in seed money. Gov. Frank Murkowski proposes spending $50 million in state...

Public forum on the gas pipeline 11/27/2005
The University of Alaska Anchorage has announced a public forum entitled "The Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline: What's It All About?" to examine important issues relating to the proposed gas pipeline. Arra...

Independents speak out 11/27/2005
House Oil and Gas told what independents need from State of Alaska � key issues permitting, facilities access, infrastructure
Large and small independent oil and gas companies and former State of Alaska officials responded Nov. 21 to a call from the House Special Committee on Oil and Gas. The committee wanted to know what th...

Step closer to coal 11/20/2005
By 2010 Agrium, Usibelli expect to replace gas with coal as feedstock for Nikiski plant
Agrium announced Nov. 16 that it and Usibelli Coal Mine have completed the first part of a study into the use of a coal gasification plant to generate feedstock for the company's fertilizer plant in N...

Menge says gas pipeline deal complex 11/13/2005
New commissioner of Department of Natural Resources urges Alaskans to evaluate gas contract carefully when it becomes public
Mike Menge took over as commissioner of the Alaska Department of Natural Resources Oct. 27, replacing Tom Irwin who had been dismissed by Gov. Frank Murkowski earlier that day. Menge's first job was t...