Fascinating agenda set for AOGA 50th

The Alaska Oil & Gas Association’s 50th anniversary celebration on May 25 at the Dena’ina Civic & Center in Anchorage is packed with interesting speakers, awards and last, but not least, a debate on the morals of fossil fuels at 3:30 p.m. between Alex Epstein and the University of Alaska Anchorage’s debate team, which is followed by a 4:30 cocktail reception.

“The debate will be lively, as Eric Epstein, author of The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels, is exceedingly knowledgeable and can take apart - with facts - any argument against the use of oil and gas,” industry photographer Judy Patrick told Petroleum News. “I think the book should be mandatory reading for anyone in the industry because we need to let others know of the benefits of fossil fuels and quit apologizing for extracting it!”

AOGA’s anniversary celebration opens with a breakfast buffet at 7 a.m., followed by a global perspective on energy panel discussing where Alaska fits in. Panelists are Jim Musselman, Caelus Energy president and CEO, and Andy Hopwood, BP’s chief operation officer of upstream region and strategy.

At 9: 30, Ed Goeas, president and CEO of The Tarrance Group, Celinda Lake, president of Lake Research Partners, and Matt Larkin of Dittman Research discuss “petroleum and politics, can energy policy be bipartisan?”

A legislative update is scheduled at 10:30.

Atul Arya, IHS senior vice president, energy insight, is the keynote speaker at an 11:30 luncheon; Gov. Bill Walker will offer some remarks.

Next, at 1:30, is an Arctic opportunities presentation. Speakers are Thomas Mack, president of Aleut Corp.; Matt Ganley, VP of media and external affairs for Bering Straits Native Corp.; and Hugh Short, president and CEO of Pt Capital. Moderator Tara Sweeney is chair of the Arctic Economic Council.

“Polar bears, sage grouse, and lesser prairie chickens, oh my! The science and law behind the Endangered Species Act” is next at 2:30, with Jeff Leppo, managing partner for Stoel Rives.

Throughout the day AOGA awards will be handed out, starting with Contractor of the Year for Safety Performance to Pacific Rim Logistics; Project of the Year for Environmental Stewardship and Innovation to ExxonMobil’s Point Thomson project (see related news item in this issue); Marilyn Crockett Lifetime Industry Achievement to Kevin Tabler of Hilcorp Alaska; and Rising Star to Sterling Reardon of BP Alaska. An AOGA scholarship to the University of Alaska will be awarded to East Anchorage High School student Erica Williams.

- Kay Cashman