U.S. Rig Count is down 20 from last week at 1694; up 505 year over year. Canadian Rig Count is down 65 from last week at 246; up 37 year over year.  Alaska has highest oil and gas potential but lowest rig count of major states.

Margo McDiarmid of CBC says, "the new environment minister will have a list of difficult issues to handle over the next few years. And it will start almost right away." 

 

Watch Live At 7:50 a.m. Alaska Time, 11:50 EST –  Tune in for a re-run if you missed it.  With nearly 15 million Americans out of work and the U.S. economy in the midst of recovery from a major economic recession, we need action in Washington that will get us back on track—and keep us moving forward.  Beginning at 11:55 am, EST, watch American Petroleum Institute (API) President and CEO Jack Gerard deliver a major address about the role of the oil and natural gas industry in economic growth, job creation and energy security, in addition to offering policy recommendations on how we can meet our energy goals.
 
Stamford Advocate/Alaska AP.  Alaska Native and conservation groups have succeeded in challenging clean air permits granted to Shell Oil to drill exploration wells in the Beaufort and Chukchi seas.  Shell hopes to drill one exploratory well in the Beaufort this summer and perhaps proceed with plans to drill in the Chukchi if legal challenges to the leases there can be resolved.  But Shell spokesman Curtis Smith said without the clean air permits the company can’t proceed with its drilling plans in 2011.  (Government website links).  (SEE OUR EARLIER COMMENT AND TESTIMONY ON THIS SUBJECT.)  (Today’s Comment:  When the Appeals Board did not outright reject petitions to deny air quality permits it, in essence, has delayed Arctic OCS exploration activity, probably for a year and maybe permanently.  Any normal American reading the order linked above can only conclude that the United States government is presiding over arbitrary and capricious energy policies without regard for true environmental effects or actual damage done to Alaska, national employment, national security and economic recovery.  We grieve for the damage this Administration has wrought on the ‘Rule of Law’, formerly relied upon to act on behalf of the citizens to create a reasonable, predictable atmosphere.   Now, we can see that an Administration with an agenda to support the radical, economy-shattering agenda of its contributors and supporters would rather sacrifice the rule of law and the American justice system than to see the return of prosperity to the country.  -dh)

Peice Course Update