Money

Today's oil, gas, gold, zinc prices

North Slope oil: $117.21 per barrel, up $5.30

Democrats target lax federal oversight of oil and gas drilling

Federal policing of oil and gas drilling on public land is lax and inconsistent, with only 6 percent of violations over 13 years resulting in fines, House Democrats said in a report today. Alaska was among eight states without a single fine during the study period.

Agencies pledge science-based policy in Arctic development

The head of President Obama's working group on Alaska energy development says the federal government will bring a renewed effort to incorporating science in Arctic policy decisions.

Audit takes new dig at Native corporation contracting benefit

The debate over the sole-source contracting privileges that Alaska Native corporations have used to make billions of dollars is flaring in Congress with a new government audit that finds lax oversight.

Read the GAO report on Alaska Native corporations

2012 ALASKA LEGISLATURE

Alaska Senate plans generic oil tax bill to start process

The Alaska Senate is planning to unveil a generic oil tax bill this week, leaving to the committee process the job of finding problems in the proposal and working out solutions.

BP reports strong profits, hikes dividend despite oil spill

Less than two years ago, the British oil company BP was worried about its very survival as a seemingly unstoppable oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico threatened to destroy its finances and reputation. But on Tuesday, BP expressed renewed confidence in its future, reporting strong quarterly profits and raising its dividend to shareholders.

Tuesday's oil, gas, gold, zinc prices

North Slope oil: $116.91 per barrel, up $3.00

Homer business's nets are quite a catch

It's been 17 years since Matt Alward did his first for-hire work on nets. Today, Alward owns and operates Bulletproof Nets and, with the help of an eight-10 person crew, keeps a steady flow of work.

BP gives $1 million for UAA lab to study metals corrosion

BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc. announced Monday that it will donate $1 million to the University of Alaska Anchorage to help create a lab to study the effects of corrosion on pipe metals.

Today's oil, gas, gold, zinc prices

North Slope oil: $113.91 per barrel, down $0.93

LYNNE CURRY

Heartless manager may be corporate psychopath

Four months ago I was on top of the world. My business had just been bought by an Alaska Native corporation, giving me enough money to retire and my small business the capital infusion it needed to really grow.

Conventions and conferences

Area events

Business meetings, seminars, events

Business related events scheduled around Alaska

Shell still hopes to drill this summer in Arctic waters

It's the billion-dollar question in Alaska for 2012: Will this be the year Shell Oil begins large-scale offshore exploratory drilling in Arctic waters? Two months into 2012, the oil giant is beyond the lead time it said it needed to assemble the flotilla of support vessels that must accompany drill ships.

Shell's Arctic drilling plan gets major boost

LAINE WELCH

Parnell backs change in DNR mission statement

Alaskans were surprised to learn that a new and very different mission statement has been adopted by the Department of Natural Resources. Questions about the mission shift dominated a recent press conference, at which Gov. Sean Parnell was quick to defend the change.

CHRIS STEPHENS

New construction affirms city's economic growth

New buildings seem to be popping up all over town. They're physical proof of the strength of the Anchorage economy. New construction, particularly speculative construction, happens when an economy is growing, as ours is.

Forecast sees 3.3 percent rise in spending on construction

Officials anticipate an increase in construction spending this year in Alaska.

Friday's oil, gas, gold, zinc prices

North Slope oil: $114.84 per barrel, up $5.33

Alaska construction spending should increase, report says

A forecast from the Institute of Social and Economic Research at the University of Alaska Anchorage says construction spending should be $7.7 billion in Alaska this year, up 3.3 percent from 2011.

By Kevin G. Hall

US unemployment rate drops to 8.3 percent after hiring burst

Employers added a better-than-expected 243,000 non-farm payroll jobs in January and the unemployment rate fell to 8.3 percent, the government said today in a report that put an exclamation point on the economic recovery.

Thursday's oil, gas, gold, zinc prices

North Slope oil: $109.51 per barrel, down $1.25