Elizabeth Harball, Alaska's Energy Desk - Anchorage
Elizabeth Harball is a reporter with Alaska's Energy Desk, covering Alaska’s oil and gas industry and environmental policy. She is a contributor to the Energy Desk’s Midnight Oil podcast series. Before moving to Alaska in 2016, Harball worked at E&E News in Washington, D.C., where she covered federal and state climate change policy. Originally from Kalispell, Montana, Harball is a graduate of Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
Caelus postpones appraisal well for big North Slope oil discovery
Caelus Energy, the company behind what could be Alaska's biggest oil discovery since the 1960s, will not be drilling a well to confirm the find this winter, as originally planned.
State proposes fine for safety violations at Ahtna-owned gas exploration well
The state is proposing a $380,000 fine for Alaska Native corporation Ahtna, Inc., for safety violations at a gas well near Glennallen. Listen now
Interior Secretary signs order aiming to open more of the North Slope to oil leasing
On Wednesday, Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke ordered new studies on the oil and gas potential of federal land on the North Slope, including in the coastal plain of Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR). Listen now
Cook Inlet oil and gas lease sales set for June
The federal government this week announced it’s holding an oil and gas lease sale for over a million acres in Cook Inlet this June. Listen now
State says harsh conditions, not aging infrastructure, culprit in Cook Inlet gas leak
Now that the state's had time to investigate, Geoff Merrell with the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation said aging equipment probably wasn't to blame for the gas leak. Listen now
Anchorage Petroleum Wives Club welcomes new era with new name
The Anchorage Petroleum Wives Club has been around longer than Alaska's been a state. Founded after the first big oil discovery in Alaska, its purpose was to welcome the wives of the oil workers flooding into the state. But a lot has changed since then, so the Anchorage Petroleum Wives Club recently decided it's time to rebrand. Listen now
Only 3 gallons spilled from Hilcorp platform in April…and it wasn’t crude
The state has concluded that just three gallons of liquid escaped from one of Hilcorp’s platforms into Cook Inlet in early April. Listen now
Hilcorp announces project to bypass oil terminal by Redoubt volcano
An environmental group is praising oil and gas company Hilcorp after it announced a new pipeline project in Cook Inlet. Hilcorp said the project would eliminate the need to store oil at the Drift River Terminal. Listen now
Conoco gives up stake in North Slope project seen as precursor to gas line
ConocoPhillips has confirmed it’s giving up its small stake in the Point Thomson field on the North Slope. The move has some observers wondering if it’s a bad sign for the state’s effort to build a massive natural gas line. Listen now
Cook Inlet gas leak sparks debate over Hilcorp’s Arctic drilling plans
Last week, Hilcorp was finally able to fix a fuel line in Cook Inlet that regulators say started leaking gas in December. But the oil and gas company and its allies are still struggling to contain another issue: environmental groups, which argue that Hilcorp’s problems in Cook Inlet disqualify the company from drilling for oil in the Arctic Ocean. Listen now
BP well that spewed oil and gas successfully plugged
The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation today announced yesterday that a leaking oil and gas well on the North Slope was successfully plugged. Listen now
BP halts oil and gas leaking from North Slope well
BP announced Monday morning that an out-of-control release from a North Slope oil and gas production well has been stopped. Listen now
President Xi’s Alaska visit: salmon, scenery and a chance to deepen Arctic ties
Gov. Bill Walker hosted an unexpected guest on Friday — the President of China. Xi Jinping was headed back from a meeting with President Donald Trump in Florida. It’s not unusual for foreign leaders to re-fuel in Anchorage, but this wasn’t just a pit stop. And experts say there are good reasons for China’s top leader to drop in. Listen now
BP Alaska reports $85 million profit for 2016; no more layoffs planned
In an annual report released on Thursday, BP’s Alaska subsidiary reported a profit of $85 million in 2016. That’s compared to a $172 million loss in Alaska in 2015. Listen now
State confident less than 10 gallons of crude leaked into Cook Inlet, continues investigation
Ten gallons or less: that’s how much crude oil state regulators think leaked from a pipeline in Cook Inlet last weekend. Listen now
Cook Inlet leaks draw more scrutiny for Hilcorp and its aging infrastructure
State regulators on Monday announced an oil leak from an underwater pipeline owned by Hilcorp in Cook Inlet was halted successfully. Listen now
Crude oil leak in Cook Inlet halted successfully; spill volume still unknown
State regulators on Monday said a leak from a crude oil pipeline in Cook Inlet was halted successfully.
Anchorage businesses grapple with sudden electricity bill increase
Many businesses in Anchorage aren't happy with the sudden increase in electric bills. Some are taking their case to state regulators, while others are trying more creative solutions to cut back on electricity costs. Listen now
Hilcorp shuts down oil platforms to address Cook Inlet gas leak
Hilcorp announced Saturday (March 25) that after discussions with Alaska Governor Bill Walker, it’s shutting down two oil platforms in Cook Inlet in response to an ongoing leak from a gas line. The pipeline carries natural gas from shore to power four oil platforms in Cook Inlet. Two of the platforms have already been shut down. Listen now
Huge fine issued for dangerous incident at Anchorage power plant
The state is fining three companies a combined $882,000 for violations that led to a dangerous incident last September at a power plant in East Anchorage. Listen now