5-21-16 Alaska Gas Project: When Does One More Straw Break The Camel’s Back?

Tim Bradner, NGP Photo by Dave Harbour 5-13-11 Tim Bradner of the AJOC brings us another Alaska gas monetization reality: wetlands mitigation (Story below).  Higher but unknown additional mitigation/litigation costs cannot improve feasibility of AGDC's (https://www.agdc.us/) government investment in the Alaska LNG project (http://ak-lng.com/).  Nor can such open-ended future expenses make the state's socialist equity investment in Alaska LNG more beneficial to citizens. This is precisely the type of uncertainty that leads project proponents to add additional contingency requirements to Financing Plans: uncertainty requires hedging as greater assurance of "project completion" to satisfy [...]

5-20-16 THE WAR ON COAL – IN THE NEWS TODAY

Reminder to our Alaska readers: AOGA 50th Anniversary Conference - On May 25, the Alaska Oil and Gas Association will hold its 50th Anniversary Conference.  Aside from supporting our friends in the oil patch, the agenda holds some terrific energy speakers like Alex Epstein, author of The Moral Case for Fossil Fuels, and so much more. More here!    "Wake Up Consumers: Government Regulation Is Making You Poorer!" Commentary by Dave Harbour  "First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Socialist.           Then [...]

5-19-16 Oil Price: A Tale Of Two Analysts

Please scroll down to read today's unusual Sunday commentary: "Afraid New World" Alaska Governor Bill Walker (NGP File Photo) BREAKING NEWS, THURSDAY AFTERNOON: ALASKA'S GOVERNOR CALLS LEGISLATURE INTO SPECIAL SESSION TO DEAL WITH LACK OF AN FY 2016-17 BUDGET TO NORMALLY TAKE EFFECT ON JULY 1.  HERE IS THE PROCLAMATION.  YOU READ IT HERE FIRST!  -DH Comment.  Our mid Atlantic energy analyst friend (who prefers to remain anonymous) comments on another analyst's viewpoint (Left column below).  Their evaluation of world economics, interest rates, supply and demand seem [...]

5-16-16 When Will Oil Prices Recover Enough To Re-establish Alaska & Alberta Prosperity?

"It's Tough To Make Predictions, Especially About The Future"  -  Yogi Berra Commentary By Dave Harbour Dan Yergin, NGP file photo. (See Yergin's WSJ comments below) By mid-year, 1967, Atlantic Richfield Company's (ARCO) Susie rig had completed its Alaska North Slope oil exploration mission, unsuccessfully.  Then, an old friend and colleague, Harry Jamison, ARCO's Alaska Manager, prevailed upon company Chairman, Robert O. Anderson, for one last well attempt.  "Robert O" as we called him, supported the recommendation to the Board, which approved that one more try.   Just after [...]

5-12-16 How The Federal Government Stole Alaska’s Statehood Birthright

Even if the federal government were to restore the natural resource birthright it has stolen from the 49th State, Alaskans would STILL remain challenged.  For when its citizens enjoyed what seemed to be unlimited oil wealth 3-4 decades ago, it taxed more and spent more and more -- until it had developed an unsustainable lifestyle.  So, we do hope that great leadership can free Alaska of the federal overreaching jurisdiction and violations of due process described below.  But then, equally great leadership -- with disciplined citizen support -- must establish sustainable government services [...]

5-9-16 Congress Should Kill Funding For President’s Unlawful Ocean Policy Initiative

The Congress should kill direct AND indirect funding of the White House's illegal ocean policy initiative that 1) avoided Congressional authority; 2) sidestepped proper Congressional fund authorization and 3) is causing the private sector untold millions in new and potential compliance costs while 4) potentially keeping even more American Great Lakes, Oceans, Rivers, Tributaries, Ponds areas off limits to traditional and multiple use activity.  -dh We hope the private sector -- supported by local government elected leaders and Members of Congress -- will testify IN DROVES NEXT TUESDAY at the [...]

5-7-16 Old Canadian/US Softwood Issue Resurfaces

Old Softwood Issue Resurfaces: Could Affect Alaska; Will Affect Canada We continuously try to 'connect the dots' for our readers! by Dave Harbour We drew attention to the US/Canadian controversy over softwood lumber trade agreement issues years ago, as it affected an Alaska to Midwest gas pipeline (8/2001, 11/2001, 3/2002, 4/2002, 5/2002, 8/2002, 11/2002, 2015) The softwood  issue surfaces again as BC Premier Christy Clark interprets Presidential candidate Donald Trump’s remarks about NAFTA, poor trade deals and stopping illegal southern border immigration to softwood issues. Bear in [...]

5-6-16 Compliments to Shell and Congratulations to TransCanada!

CBC.ca TransCanada gets final permits for Coastal GasLink pipeline to Kitimat,  CBC.ca.  The 650-kilometre pipeline would link natural gas fields in northeastern ... "If I had just known...." by Dave Harbour Sometimes I look back and think, "If I had just known my dear friend or family member was going to die last week, I'd have spent more time with him/her and....   If.... If...."   In my more rational moments, I recall that while I cannot change the past -- and should not let the past dominate my thinking [...]

5-3-15 New England Joins The Herd To Self-Hoist With Its Own Petard

New England's Karma Our friend, Shakespeare, perfected the vision of one, “hoist with his own petard”.  It reminds us of the more modern term, “Karma”, wherein a robber accidentally shoots himself in the foot or a bicycle thief crashes or the predatory alligator on Youtube is grabbed and carried off in the jaws of a powerful leopard. Today, our Mid Atlantic energy advisor friend describes how global warming mania run amok is destined to ruin the economy of those so disillusioned -- in this case, New Englanders. Meanwhile, we remind our [...]

5-2-16. Alaska has condensate but not enough crude oil; Alberta has massive crude but insufficient condensate (at the right price). Should they renew talks about an Alberta-Alaska rail….

Our observation:  A rail line between Alberta and Alaska could export Oil Sands crude through Alaska and backhaul North Slope condensate.  (See story below).  We'll leave it to others to consider economic feasibility of different routes and modes.   We will observe that the backhaul idea might make any Canadian export project more feasible.   Furthermore, the Oil Sands new challenge of requiring heavy oil to be thinned by about a third, with condensate, and Exxon's new Point Thomson condensate production does create more condensate for sale...and does reveal a nearby market [...]

4-28-16 Alaska And Its Democratic Socialist Look-Alike, Venezuela

THE HILL: Energy will play a major role in at least five races that could determine control of the Senate next year.  President Obama’s controversial climate policy is looming large in Ohio and Illinois, where the coal industry still employs thousands, while battle lines are being drawn in Colorado, pitting environmentalists against oil and gas companies over drilling. Read the full story here "Venezuela doesn't have enough money to pay for its money", by Bloomberg's Andrew Rosati.  (Full story here: http://tinyurl.com/jmn46sn) Please review the above story.  Here [...]

4-20-16 Murkowski Scores for Alaska and U.S. – PLUS – Does Alaska’s Legislature Have the Moral High Ground From Which To Seek “More Revenue” Before Serious “Cutting”?

BREAKING NEWS.  U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, today led the Senate’s approval of broad, bipartisan energy legislation that contains a wide range of provisions vital to Alaska’s future. The bill, the Energy Policy Modernization Act of 2016, was authored by Murkowski and.... (More) Senate Unanimously Approves Murkowski’s Major Lands and Water Package for Energy Bill Alaska U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (NGP File Photo) NGP File Photo Washington, D.C. – On Tuesday, the U.S. Senate unanimously approved two amendments offered by Senator Lisa Murkowski (NGP Photo) to [...]

4-19-16 The Alliance Tells It Like It Is: We Like That

We like it when the respected people and organizations among us, "tell it like it is".  Below (Left), is what the Alliance's Ak Headlamp said yesterday about Alaska's fiscal crisis and how leaders are dealing with it.  -dh Lynn Helms, Director, N.D. Department of Mineral Resources. NGP File Photo.   Billings Gazette.   North Dakota oil production had a smaller decline than expected in February as more companies put fracking crews to work to maintain cash flow, the state’s top oil regulator said.     ...     Director [...]

4-15-16 Op-Ed: Alaska’s Budget Talk: All Bark and No Bite?

The Road Less Traveled by Dave Harbour A path less taken.... A road more oft taken. Yesterday's editorial may seem like the writer has no empathy or regard for elected leaders. Au contraire. We have run for public office twice ourselves and lost twice.  We know the dedication and loneliness required to enter the political arena.  We appreciate the courage and focus and determination one musters to run for office.  One appreciates the long hours of candidate work, the door-to-door, the fund raising, the volunteer coordination, the interviews [...]

Alaska’s Budget Crisis Dominates Legislature’s Weekend – Alberta’s In A Similar Boat! Will Alaskan and Albertan Officials Seek To Keep Government Special Interests ‘Whole’ At The Expense of Taxpayers, Ratepayers and Consumers?

Alberta Premier Rachael Notley, CBC Photo "Tax it, regulate it, subsidize it" Added by ANCHORAGE DAILY PLANET Editor on April 8, 2016. Saved under Editorial Watching some of Alaska’s most wealthy, powerful people and organizations with a dependency on state government as they push for all manner of taxes and offer plans to tap into the Permanent Fund earnings to help the state make ends meet and protect their bottom line is not a pretty sight. Ronald Reagan Sculpture Rather than suggesting we should [...]

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