12-6-12

New Alaska Energy Job (We believe the new incumbent will be capable of unwraping a Gordian Knot, have the grace of Walter Cronkite, the determination of Clint Eastwood,  the wisdom of Peter Drucker, the inventiveness of MacGyver and possibly the simple decisiveness of that great warrier, Alexander.  Time permitting, we’ll explain later for those who do not fully grasp the multiple energy enigmas awaiting this new executive.  Greeting him/her will be the challenges of gas supply deficiency for power generation, high voltage transmission infrastructure deficiency, constituent demands for energy subsidies from rural to Interior to Southcentral Alaska.  To these, add the conundrum of matching natural gas power plant fuel demand with Cook Inlet, Interior Alaska, North Slope or LNG  imported gas.   (Coal fired power generation is also an issue.) This will all be occuring in a highly charged political atmosphere wherein utilities find cooperation difficult and the 2013 Legislature will be focused on decliningTrans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) throughput along with the tenuous future of Alaska’s economy and funding for her state government.  dh)

Edmonton Journal by Dave Cooper.  The Northwest Territories is sitting on a potentially huge shale oil field in the Mackenzie Valley and government officials are in Houston this week meeting with the firms that intend to tap it.  While there are also massive natural gas deposits under the Beaufort Sea, developing the riches of the Mackenzie Valley seems to be closer at hand. There is already a small, underutilized oil pipeline between Norman Wells and Zama Lake in northern Alberta, which connects into the provincial oil pipeline system.  “We are anxious to see development move forward in an environmentally responsible manner in both the Mackenzie region and the Arctic coast,” said NWT Industry Minister David Ramsay (NGP Photo).

Fairbanks News Miner by Matt Buxton.  Alaska Department of Revenue Commissioner Bryan Butcher (NGP Photo-R) said the governor plans to have oil tax legislation ready for the start of the legislative session and passed by the time lawmakers gavel out in April.  In a speech to the Alaska Support Industry Alliance chapter meeting in Fairbanks on Tuesday, Butcher said a new slate of elected officials in Juneau will make passing oil tax changes easier.  Butcher stayed away from specifics of what Gov. Sean Parnell’s (NGP Photo) tax plan, but said the administration is open to discussing a slew of options to boost oil production with a Legislature where both bodies are now solidly in the hands of Republicans for the first time in years. 

Southcentral Alaska Energy Job.  The Alaska Railbelt Cooperative  Transmission & Electric Company (ARCTEC) is searching for an Chief Executive Officer (CEO). This is an excellent start up opportunity for an entrepreneurial executive to lead, manage, and direct ARCTEC’s vision for the future of Alaska’s Railbelt electric utilities. ARCTEC was developed by five Alaska Railbelt utilities to manage Railbelt energy needs and challenges. These include Chugach Electric Association, Matanuska Electric Association, Homer Electric Association, Seward Electrical System and Golden Valley Electric Association. ARCTEC will focus on managing projects requested by member utilities to meet Railbelt energy needs in addition to centralizing efforts to pursue funding for infrastructure projects and programs.  Interested candidates may contact the ARCTEC Recruiter at 907-762-4428 and apply by sending a cover letter and resume to [Click Here to Email Your Resumé] or apply directly at jobs.jobmatchezpost.com/354317.htm.