Pat Pourchot Promises: "President Obama and Secretary Salazar Have Expressed Strong Support For Alaska" Alaska Dispatch by Rena Delbridge (NGP Photo-left).  North Slope oil companies issued a warning on Wednesday morning: Without significant state and federal changes, investment and new exploration will taper off dramatically in 2010.  They also cited huge shale gas reserves in the Lower 48, unfavorable state fiscal policies and massive risk associated with the multibillion dollar cost of a proposed natural gas pipeline as real challenges to delivering Alaska's natural gas to markets.  Spokespeople for majors [...]