Oil

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.

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.

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.

2012 ALASKA LEGISLATURE

Senate plans to propose generic oil tax bill for starters

The Alaska Senate plans to unveil a generic oil tax bill this week, leaving to the committee process the job of working out the details.

Alaska lawmaker proposes extended Thanksgiving holiday

More Legislature coverage

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.

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

BLM defends its work on NPR-A 'legacy wells'

Officials with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management say the agency is monitoring environmental risk from old wells on federal land on Alaska's North Slope, as well as updating plans for remediating the sites.

Oil tax bill expected next week

An oil tax bill dealing with a progressive surcharge and incentives for new production is expected to be unveiled next week in the Senate.

North Slope jobs increase; nonresidents hired, study finds

A new report is shedding light on seemingly contradictory North Slope employment figures and an apparent spike in nonresident hire.

Untapped natural gas estimates lowered by 40 percent

The difficulty and uncertainty in predicting natural gas resources was underscored last week when the Energy Information Administration released a report containing sharply lower estimates in the Lower 48.

2012 ALASKA LEGISLATURE

Committee takes up bill to separate oil, gas taxes

Alaska's revenue commissioner doesn't anticipate a repeat of 2010, when Gov. Sean Parnell vetoed a measure that would have changed the state's system of taxing oil and gas production together.

Senate committee to consider ban of 'bath salt' intoxicants

Explicit ban on texting while driving put on fast track

Proposed new Natural Resources mission statement strikes 'conserve'

House Democrats press Parnell on education fixes

Natural Resources has been shrinking its permit backlog

The Department of Natural Resources said it has reduced a backlog of permits by 20 percent in six months.

Senate leaders expect oil tax bill in committee soon

Senate President Gary Stevens said Thursday he expects an oil tax bill to come before the Senate Resources Committee in about a week and a half.

University museum gets replacement oil pipeline 'pig'

The University of Alaska Museum of the North is the proud owner of a new "pig" once used to clean the inside of the trans-Alaska oil pipeline.

Federal regulators reschedule Anchorage pipeline meeting

Federal regulators have rescheduled to Feb. 13 a meeting in Anchorage on TransCanada Corp.'s proposed Alaska natural gas pipeline project.

North Slope employment rising, report says

A new report shows average annual employment on Alaska's North Slope at a 20-year high in 2010.

2012 ALASKA LEGISLATURE

Lawmakers propose measure to advance in-state gas line

Two Alaska House leaders are proposing legislation they see as empowering the Alaska Gasline Development Corp., which is leading efforts to develop an in-state gas pipeline.

Alaska lawmakers look for inexpensive solutions to crime

Today's oil, gas, gold and zinc prices

Today's oil, gas, gold and zinc prices

Alaska Supreme Court to hear Point Thomson dispute

The state and Exxon Mobil are scheduled to go to school Feb. 8, and each will be looking to teach the other a lesson.

Parnell says gas line timeline was born out of frustration

Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell said Thursday that he didn't seek approval of the North Slope's three major players before setting a timeline for progress on a major natural gas pipeline project.

Parnell repeats support for oil tax cut

2012 ALASKA LEGISLATURE

Decoupling of oil, gas taxes returns

The Senate Finance Committee introduced legislation Wednesday that would change Alaska's system of taxing oil and gas production together.

Parnell calls on Legislature to move ahead on several fronts