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Alaska gets Interior dollars to cap NPR-A wells, map Arctic coast, Yukon Flats, test gasline steel technology
Petroleum News Alaska Staff
Sen. Ted Stevens said Alaska energy items in the FY03 Interior appropriations bill approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee June 27 include:
Five million dollars for the Arctic Energy Office: $2 million to develop and test new technology for the steel required to build an Alaska natural gas pipeline, along with new techniques to minimize impacts on the environment while proceeding with construction.
There is also $1 million for the study of commercialization of coalbed methane and other coal technologies in Alaska.
Stevens said the money for gas pipeline related studies “will help jumpstart the development of the tools and techniques necessary to build an Alaska natural gas pipeline. Because of the enormous size and the length of time required to build this project, it is important that we take steps now to minimize any construction delays.” $1 million for capping NPR-A wells Included in the Bureau of Land Management appropriation is $1 million for capping wells in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, where a number of old wells were improperly capped and require additional work to prevent leakage and oil spills.
The fifth and final installment for Alaska minerals at risk — a comprehensive database of mineral information to aid miners in exploration activities — is $4 million. For the final year of a five-year project which will complete the Alaska lands database, a comprehensive database with all public lands information in one location, $1.5 million.
$2 million for mapping of Arctic coast and Yukon Flats The U.S. Geological Survey budget includes $1 million for the Alaska mapping initiative, half for the Arctic coast and half to map other portions of the state.
The USGS portion of the minerals at risk program also funded in the BLM budget is $1.5 million.
The USGS budget also includes $474,000 for Yukon Flats geologic studies of potential mineral resources. Funds for whalers, clean fuels The Minerals Management Service budget includes $150,000 which goes to the Alaska Eskimo Whaling Commission to ensure proposed outer continental shelf sales take into consideration whale migration patterns and whaling activities.
The bill language continues the OCS moratorium in the North Aleutian Basin.
The Department of Energy budget includes $1 million for ultra-clean fuels research at the University of Alaska. Report language states that within the fuels provided for clean fuels, the Department should continue the clean diesel fuels program in cooperation with the University of Alaska.
Funding announced by the congressional delegation July 3 include $353,000 from the Department of Energy to the state as part of DOE’s energy efficiency program to assist states in carrying out their energy efficiency and renewable energy programs.
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