Oil patch insider: Chugach hires strategic officer; Oil Search lease control changes
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Kay Cashman Petroleum News
Allan Rudeck Jr., a professional engineer with extensive renewables experience and with more than 25 years with a leading energy company in the Upper Midwest, is joining Chugach Electric Association Inc. as chief strategic officer in June.
Rudeck comes to Chugach from ALLETE, a publicly held energy company headquartered in Duluth, Minnesota. ALLETE is comprised of regulated utilities as well as non-regulated operations and other energy-centric businesses. Chugach said Rudeck played a key role in growing ALLETE to become the top ranked investor-owned utility for investment in renewable energy based on market capitalization.
He has extensive experience with renewable energy development and acquisitions, including the addition of multiple large-scale wind projects, acquisition of a leading a distributed solar company, as well as the diversification and decarbonization efforts at Minnesota Power, where the company transitioned its power supply from 95% coal in 2005, to 51% renewables in 2022.
“Al is going to be an excellent addition to the Chugach executive team,” said Chugach CEO Arthur Miller. “His experience with renewable energy projects and virtually all aspects of the electric utility industry will be a true asset to Chugach and our members.”
Rudeck has worked with ALLETE in various capacities since 1996 including engineer, plant manager, director of engineering services; vice president, generation; vice president, strategy and planning; president, ALLETE Clean Energy; and, most recently, as ALLETE safety and external affairs officer.
Some key responsibilities for Rudeck at Chugach will include leading the planning and development of key strategic initiatives, developing and maintaining Chugach’s Strategic Plan, preparing and maintaining the utility’s integrated resource plan, as well as working closely with key accounts and government and non-government organizations.
Rudeck has a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering from the University of Minnesota Duluth.
DNR accepts control change for Oil Search leases On April 24 Alaska’s Division of Oil and Gas approved a March 7 assignment application transferring complete interest in Oil Search (Alaska) LLC (OSA) from Oil Search Limited (OS Limited) to Santos Limited (Santos) for 428 North Slope leases.
The approval was signed by Division Director Derek Nottingham and is effective April 1.
The parties have represented the following to the division, which is part of the Department of Natural Resources:
• OSA is the working interest owner of all the leases, assets, permits, easements and other authorizations, and the operator of the Pikka, Horseshoe and Quokka units.
• OSA is 100% owned by Oil Search (USA) Inc., which is 100% owned by Papuan Oil Search Limited, who is 100% owned by OS Limited.
• On Dec. 17, 2021, OS Limited and Santos merged to form a combined company known as “Santos Limited” through a share exchange where OS Limited shareholders received 0.6275 new Santos shares for each share of OS Limited they owned, resulting in OS Limited shareholders owning 38.5% of the merged entity and Santos shareholders owning 61.5% of the merged entity.
• OSA will remain the working interest owner of all the leases, assets, permits, easements and other authorizations, and the operator of the Pikka, Horseshoe, and Quokka units.
• OSA has previously agreed to certain conditions as set out in the “Oil Search Financial Assurance Agreement” effective Aug. 15, 2022, that requires OSA to provide DNR with certain financial assurances and information to ensure OSA and its parent company is capable of satisfying its financial obligations to DNR for the dismantlement, removal, and restoration obligations under the leases and applicable statutes and regulations.
- Compiled by Kay Cashman
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