Opening the Arctic Refuge brought Alaska’s largest Native corporation $22.5 million from BP and Chevron

Arctic Slope Regional Corp. collected $22.5 million from a pair of oil companies after Congress opened the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge’s coastal plain to drilling in 2017, according to corporate documents.

VIDEO: After 15 years at BP, Brad Campbell is out of a job

Alaska has lost more than 2,000 jobs in the oil and gas industry since last year. One of those jobs belonged to Brad Campbell, who worked as a financial analyst at BP for more than 15 years.

Why a Bahamas tanker is carrying North Slope crude

A foreign-owned tanker is expected to transport North Slope crude to Asia in the coming weeks. BP has shipped its oil overseas before, but it’s been decades since it was on a tanker built and managed outside the U.S. Listen now

Four young filmmakers from the Y-K Delta tackle climate change

These students practice subsistence and are documenting how climate change is changing a way of life that has been passed down for millennia. Listen now

Opponents pack Anchorage hearing on salmon habitat ballot measure

A ballot initiative aimed at protecting salmon habitat is facing stiff opposition from industry groups, unions and Native corporations in Alaska. That opposition was on full display at an Anchorage hearing on the measure this week. Listen now

Inuit Circumpolar Council signs guide for Arctic action for the next four years

The meeting concluded with the signing of the Utqiaġvik Declaration, which will guide the ICC’s work for the next four years. Listen now

King Cove closer to goal of 100 percent renewable energy

Funding for renewable energy projects in Alaska has dried up, but that has not stopped the City of King Cove from pursuing green power. Listen now

What can unflappable geese teach us about the future of Arctic development?

Every summer, millions of migratory birds like the greater white-fronted goose descend on the National Petroleum Reserve, to lay eggs, molt their feathers and fatten up. A lot of the oil potential lies squarely in migratory bird habitat. Listen now

State wants public input on how to spend Volkswagen settlement money

The $8 million could go towards investments in electric vehicle infrastructure or upgrades to diesel-powered transportation. Listen now

Conoco hopes to crack open off-limits North Slope land

Beyond its current developments, the ConocoPhillips sees even more opportunity further west. But in that direction lies the off-limits Teshekpuk Lake Special Area.
Seen from a distance, an oil rig blips above the horizon in an otherwise flat, snowy landscape.

This winter, a major oil exploration effort is happening in a familiar place: Prudhoe Bay

BP is undertaking a massive effort to get the clearest picture yet of what the Prudhoe Bay oil field looks like. The idea is that, after all these years, there’s more oil at Prudhoe Bay to drill, but it’s in smaller, harder-to-find pockets.

Murkowski calls for many ‘silver bullets’ to tackle climate change

Sen. Lisa Murkowski stopped in Bethel to celebrate the breakup of the Kuskokwim River. She says climate change “is a reality that we are seeing.”

State corporation announces tentative deal with BP to buy gas for Alaska LNG project

The agreement is one of many the state corporation is negotiating to get the project online by 2025. Listen now

Prudhoe Bay rig count to drop by more than half

BP has announced it will cut the number of drill rigs operating at Prudhoe Bay, from five to two, as a result of low oil prices.

North Slope oil companies ask lawmakers for stable tax laws

A state House committee heard testimony Wednesday afternoon from the big three North Slope oil producers. ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil, and BP representatives gave several members of the House Resources Committee their perspectives on how the state’s oil tax structure is working. 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
Rocks (ore) separated by wooden planks

Donlin Gold to begin drilling program

It’s going to be a busy year for Donlin Gold. The company is gearing up for another round of geotechnical drilling, its first in two years.
BlueCrest’s site north of Anchor Point.

BlueCrest Energy updates drilling plans

BlueCrest Energy, the company drilling for oil north of Anchor Point, gave an update on their effort at a forum in Kenai last week. Download Audio

Fall whaling in Utqiaġvik: joy, excitement and this year, mourning too

Whaling Captain Crawford Patkotak says many in the community are still mourning the loss of two whalers in an accident this season, but the overarching dedication to continuing the tradition of whaling remains strong. Listen now

Even before leading John McPhee down the Salmon River, Pat Pourchot landed dream job

John McPhee’s book Coming into the Country starts with a river trip: six men, nine days- floating nearly the entire length of the Salmon river in northwest Alaska. The 26 year old leading the trip was Pat Pourchot, a recent Alaska transplant who had the job of a lifetime with the Interior Department. Listen now