ADN by Elizabeth Bluemink: Conoco Phillips said Tuesday it hasn’t backed away from its efforts with BP to develop a North Slope gas pipeline.

Monday.  Canadian Institute/American Conference Institute’s Sixth Annual Oil and Gas Congress.  Cook Inlet Regional Corporation Chair Margaret Brown (CIRI Photo) and Northern Gas Pipelines Publisher Dave Harbour (NGP Photo) are Co-Chairs of this year’s event –this week– featuring leaders in U.S., Alaskan and Canadian governments, industry, media and indigenous organizations.

ADN by Tim Bradner.  Oil is vital to Alaska. Royalties and oil taxes pay for 90 percent of the state budget, the Department of Revenue says. Overall, the industry supports about a third of Alaska’s economy directly and indirectly, according to University of Alaska studies.  However, the trends in this vital industry are headed the wrong way. Production is declining, employment is down and new exploration may hit a record low this year.  Don’t think a gas pipeline will bail us out, either. State revenues generated by gas will be very modest compared with oil and a pipeline is 10 years away, if then.

 

Tuesday.  While the formal session of the Oil and Gas Congress begins today, on Monday, a ‘pre-conference’ seminar featured a panel dealing with Alaska’s own local power supply issues.  Chaired by Alaska Energy Authority Executive Director Steve  Haagenson, the panel included Dan Coffee, Anchorage Mayor Dan Sullivan’s Energy Task Force Chairman, Matanuska Electric Association CEO Joe Griffiths and Chris Rose, Executive Director of the Renewable Energy Alaska Project (REAP).  During the opening reception, Alaska State Senate Energy Committee Chair Lesil McGuire told the group that she would be approaching the Legislative Session in January with goals of: reviewing the oil industry tax structure, evaluating regulatory efficiency and analyzing Alaska’s competitiveness as an oil and gas investment climate.  At noon, Monday, Alberta’s Minister of Energy Ron Liepert (an Oil and Gas Conference Speaker) addressed the Anchorage Chamber of Congress, telling the Assembly that, "Capital can move.  It’s mobile.  It can move to a more favorable regime."  He said the goal of leasers is to strike a balance between the desire for oil and gas revenue and the need to remain competitive.

Wednesday.  Yesterday, your author moderated and today the esteemed Margie Brown takes over.  Stories and photos coming.  The agenda indicates what a rich array of speakers we enjoyed, but one focus was on gas pipeline players, including Bud Fackrel, Tony Palmer, Larry Persily and Harold Heinze.  Federal Coordinator Persily discussed the pipeline projects progress.  He began his remarks by delivering a letter from President Obama to the participants.  The President acknowledged the role Alaska plays in meeting America’s energy needs today and into the future.  “As part of Alaska’s contribution to America’s energy needs, I share with you the anticipation that a North Slope natural gas pipeline could finally be on its way south to serve North American markets… The Office of the Federal Coordinator stands ready to help with permitting for the multibillion-dollar pipeline, and my Administration fully supports that office and its objective of coordinating Federal planning to help advance the project.”  The full letter is attached (Copy courtesy of Jennifer Thompson.)  

 

More reports and photos coming….