Walsh, Beckham to stay with Oil & Gas
Scott Heyworth of "Our Gas, Our Future" has had another poll done of Alaska super voters, asking more voters more questions on North Slope natural gas development issues.
Given a choice between taking the gas to the Lower 48 through Canada and talking the gas to Valdez, more than half polled still favor the Valdez route, but the number favoring an Alaska Highway route has grown to more than a third since Heyworth polled super voters — households with at least one person who has voted in three of the last four elections — on gasline projects in April.
The recent poll, done May 16-20, included 385 super voter households statewide, asked more questions and included the Mackenzie Valley route. Both polls were done by Ivan Moore Research.
Those favoring the Valdez route dropped to 52.5 percent from 57.5 percent in April; those favoring the Alaska Highway route rose to 36.5 percent from 24.5 percent; and undecided dropped to 7.2 percent from 18 percent. The May poll included the northern (Mackenzie Valley) route, which got 3.9 percent.
The poll described each route and asked respondents how strongly they felt. The strongest reactions were in favor of the Valdez route and in opposed to the over-the-top route, with numbers favoring the one and opposed to the other almost equal.
On the Alaska Highway route, 26 percent were strongly in favor, 32.3 percent mildly in favor (58.3 percent in favor), 7.6 percent neutral, 17.5 percent mildly opposed and 16.7 percent strongly opposed (34.2 percent opposed).
On the Valdez route, 37.4 percent were strongly in favor, 33.6 percent mildly in favor (71 percent in favor), 6.2 percent neutral, 13.6 percent mildly opposed and 9.1 percent strongly opposed (22.7 opposed).
On the northern route, across the Beaufort Sea into Canada and south along the Mackenzie, 2.3 percent were strongly in favor, 16.6 percent mildly in favor (18.9 percent), 8.2 neutral, 26.6 percent mildly opposed and 46.4 percent strongly opposed (73 percent).
ANWR land transfer a priority
With the state of Alaska still owed 5 million acres by the U.S. Bureau of Land Management under the 1959 Alaska Statehood Act, the recent conveyance of 39,995 acres in the Goodnews Bay area cast hope on the state's efforts to secure 19,322 acres in disputed acreage along the boundary of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.
The wedge of uplands between the Canning and Staines rivers continues to be listed as a high priority area by the state, Marty Parsons, deputy director of the state Division of Mining, Land & Water, told Petroleum News Jan. 6.
In a statement following Goodnews Bay, Ted Murphy, acting BLM Alaska state director, said that conveyance was "just one of many we anticipate in the near future."
- KAY CASHMAN
p 0.41 percent from an average of 83,007 bpd in April.
Cook Inlet production also increased, averaging 31,347 bpd, up 10.86 percent from April.
Statewide crude production averaged 1,018,447 bpd, down 2.94 percent from an April average of 1,049,303 bpd. Prudhoe Bay natural gas liquids production averaged 47,410 bpd, down 1.09 percent from an April average of 47,933 bpd.
Eni buys Oooguruk operatorship
Eni has entered into an agreement with Caelus Natural Resources Alaska to acquire 70 percent and operatorship of the near-shore Oooguruk oil field, west of the central North Slope.
The Milan-based major already owns a 30 percent working interest in Oooguruk.
The deal gives Eni 7,000 barrels of oil per day and allows it to "implement important operational synergies and optimizations" with its nearby Nikaitchuq field, which produces 18,000 bpd.
Eni says it plans to drill more production wells at Oooguruk and Nikaitchuq, with a "target to increase its total Alaska production" to more than 30,000 bpd.
- KAY CASHMAN
See stories in Jan. 6 issue, available online Friday, Jan. 4, at www.PetroleumNews.com
For information on PN's news bulletin service, call 907-522-9469. PO Box 231651, Anchorage, AK 99523 - 1651
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