Arctic Alaska

Barrow searchers looking for missing woman door-to-door

A house-to-house search is under way in Barrow for a missing woman, Eliza Simmonds, according to the North Slope Borough mayor's office.

Sparse data on ocean depth challenges NOAA in Arctic

The deputy administrator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says the challenges for the agency in Arctic waters are huge as the region opens to more vessel traffic.

Barrow man charged with attempted murder after alleged shotgun blast

A 28-year-old Barrow man faces attempted murder charges after he fired a shotgun Sunday at an occupied pickup truck, police say.

Pioneer says test drilling yields 50 million barrel discovery

Pioneer Natural Resources Alaska has announced a 50-million-barrel oil discovery at its budding Nuna development. The find was based on exploration drilling completed this last winter.

Spring whale hunt safe, successful so far

The Arctic Sounder rounds up statistics from the spring whale hunt on Alaska's Arctic coast: 10 bowheads landed in Barrow, two in Point Hope and one in Wainwright. The season isn't over yet.

Meeting considers role for Alaska Native language council

Should a semester of Alaska Native language studies be required in high school? Should every school have a Native language teacher? Those were among suggestions Monday at a meeting called in response to passage of a bill creating a state Native language council.

Federal testing shows vast gas hydrates potential on Slope

The U.S. Department of Energy has completed an unprecedented successful test of harvesting the vast storehouse of methane hydrates -- natural gas trapped in permafrost -- on Alaska's North Slope.

Polar bears not descended from brown bears, scientists say

A research team that looked at DNA samples from brown, polar and black bears says the brown bear and polar bear ancestral lines have a common ancestor and split about 600,000 years ago.

Barrow man wounded by police gunfire

A Barrow man was shot by North Slope Borough police after allegedly threatening to shoot himself and officers.

Arctic emerging as popular topic at Coast Guard Academy

As rising temperatures melt Arctic ice caps, the U.S. Coast Guard is ramping up for deployments in northern seas that are emerging as a new maritime frontier.

Court agrees to drop review of Point Thomson lease dispute

The Alaska Supreme Court on Thursday granted a request by the state and energy companies to drop its review of a case involving disputed leases on the Point Thomson gas fields.

Shell icebreaker christened in Louisiana shipyard

Elizabeth Itta, a 12-year-old from Nuiqsut, christened Shell's 360-foot-long icebreaker Aiviq on Saturday in Louisiana. The vessel will soon be headed to Alaska as part of the company's plans to drill four exploratory wells in July.

Photos: Shell's new Aiviq icebreaker

Arctic Slope Regional Corp. announces spring dividend

Arctic Slope Regional Corp.'s 11,000 shareholders will receive $10.38 per share. The average shareholder owns 100 shares and will get $1,038. The dividend will be issued April 13.

Shell oil drilling rig set for trip to Arctic

Amid the tangle of towering steel, heavy cranes and overcast skies of Seattle's busy commercial shipyards, Shell Oil's massive Kulluk drilling rig is preparing to push off for the Arctic Ocean.

Actress Lucy Lawless arrested in oil-ship protest

Police have arrested actress Lucy Lawless and five Greenpeace environmental activists after the group spent four days protesting aboard an oil-drilling ship docked in New Zealand before it headed for Alaska.

Repsol suspends drilling operations

Fulfilling a promise to the village of Nuiqsut before the start of its North Slope exploration program, Repsol E&P USA has suspended drilling operations while it investigates the cause of a blowout at one of its four North Slope exploration pads.

Environmental, Native groups challenge Shell Arctic air permit

Environmental and Alaska Native groups will try to keep Shell Oil from drilling in Arctic waters off Alaska this summer by appealing an air quality permit granted by the Environmental Protection Agency.

Shell spill response plan for Arctic drilling wins federal OK

Scientists find no radiation in Alaska's sick ringed seals

Lesions and other symptoms associated with sickened or dead ringed seals along Alaska's northern coast last year were probably not caused by radiation, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Friday.

Response team works to cap North Slope oil well blowout

The Repsol exploration well that blew out Wednesday from pressure from a shallow gas pocket remained out of control Thursday but was leaking only small amounts of gas and water, state and company officials said.

Barrow women spread hope after death of 3-year-old

Purple ribbons sprouted throughout Barrow following the still-unexplained death of a 3-year-old girl in her home, and the spirit of hope and healing they represented blossomed into a Walk for Hope that filled the street, reports The Arctic Sounder.