Personal
6-16-13 Jim Prentice
mind the obligation and the opportunity to give back,” said James Prentice (NGP Photo), a senior executive vice-president for CIBC. Though his own father told him to stay away from politics, Prentice ran for office in 2004 and was re-elected in 2006. He stepped down in late 2010 — though he did promise his father he’d leave politics “with his name intact.” Which leads to his second bit of advice — stand up for your convictions.5-5-13: In Memoriam, Ken Stout
Point of personal privilege. Today we honor our
friend Ken Stout (NGP Photo-R), a great American veteran, a public servant, father and husband who acquitted himself well, and, like Paul of old, served Our Lord wherever he went, consistently. This good and faithful servant made a difference, was loved by many and will be missed by all who knew him. -dh
ADN by Tim Bradner (NGP Photo).
Last week was energy week in Anchorage. There were two important conferences back to back. The first was the Alaska Energy Authority's annual Rural Energy Conference.
4-30-13
(Your author is in China. While updates have been sporatic, we will resume normal operations in a few days upon our return to Alaska. The gracious patience of our readers is appreciated. -dh)
Petroleum News. 
Cathy Foerster (NGP Photo) and Norm Rokeberg were among Gov. Sean Parnell’s appointments approved by the Alaska Legislature April 8. Foerster, who holds the petroleum engineer seat on the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, and is serving as the commission’s chair, was appointed 2005 and reappointed in 2007. Her current reappointment was effective March 1; the term expires March 1, 2019. Rokeberg was confirmed to the Regulatory Commission of Alaska. He was named to the seat March 1, replacing Kate Giard, who resigned as a commissioner Jan. 4. Rokeberg’s term expires March 1, 2019.
3-14-13
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Juneau Empire-AP, by Becky Bohrer. A Senate proposal to overhaul Alaska’s oil tax structure could cost the state up to $1.3 billion next year, hundreds of millions more than plans put forth by Gov. Sean Parnell and a different Senate committee, according to an analysis released Wednesday.
Sens. Lyman Hoffman and Click Bishop laughed as an economist began discussing the potential impact of the Senate Finance Committee’s rewrite of SB21 on state revenue and the operating budget. Hoffman, D-Bethel, later called the numbers “staggering” and said they would have a detrimental impact on the budget at a time when the state is already expecting to dip into savings to cover costs for the current fiscal year.
Co-chair Kevin Meyer said the committee is right to be concerned about any hit to the treasury. “But I would just remind people the reason why we have a deficit, even this year, is because we have no production, and the production is declining,” he said.
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Personal Report. Last night your author addressed members of the Project Management Institute,enjoying a meal beforehand with PMI sponsor, Maynard Tapp (NGP Photo).
During and after the speech we discussed with the audience project management principles involved with the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation (AGDC), and illustrated the interlocking nature of various energy issues, including: AGDC re-enabling legislation (i.e.HB 4), oil tax reform (i.e. SB 21), Alaska North Slope (ANS) LNG project, Alaska Gasline Inducement Act (AGIA) progress and the tenuous nature of Alaska's economic future.
"PMI members are dedicated to professional management principles through certification," we said. "But in all honesty we should ask ourselves, 'What use is certification if we don't have jobs?' We then urged members to also support organizations like the Alaska Support Industry Alliance, Resource Development Council for Alaska and Consumer Energy Alliance whose advocacies support job growth in Alaska." -dh)
3-10-13
Petroleum News by Wesley Loy. Seven Alaska North Slope villagers are suing in an effort to invalidate a hard-fought federal permit ConocoPhillips obtained for a satellite oil field development near the company’s prolific Alpine field. The 30-page lawsuit, against the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, was filed Feb. 28 in U.S. District Court in Anchorage.
Point of personal privilege: ADN. Anchorage resident Glenn Bovey, Jr., 82, passed away peacefully in his sleep at his home in Anchorage, Alaska on March 10, 2013.
3-9-13 Governor's Prayer Breakfast
We take a pleasant weekend break from energy issues to pause and reflect on more eternal issues....
28th Annual Alaska Governors Prayer Breakfast
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Report by
Dave Harbour
This morning, Governor Sean Parnell (NGP Photo-R) hosted the 28th Annual Alaska Governor's Prayer Breakfast, featuring "Mercy Ships" 
creator, Don Stephens (NGP Photo-L).
Stevens recalled meeting Mother Theresa when he was 32 years old. Her poignant questions that day set him on a new course for his life. "She asked three questions," he said, "which caused me to think seriously of my dream to build a hospital ship."
- Why were you born? That first question caused him to think of his hospital ship idea as a future reality rather than notes on a piece of paper, he said.
- Where is the pain in your life? When he spoke of the pain of a special needs child (i.e. John Paul Stephens), the great lady observed that often pain is used to prepare us for our destiny. She said that Don's son, John Paul, would give eyes, hearing, touch, and other senses to countless suffering people through his Dad's work.
- What are you doing about it? He then told the audience of his trials to make the hospital ship into reality as others tried to discourage him by imagining all the failures that could come from attempting and failing at such a big venture: buying a ship, maintaining it, staffing it, managing it. Then Stephens (looking much like everyone's beloved grandfather), said, "I've met a lot of people who've had dreams and done nothing." The implicit message to each of us was, "What great dreams have, about which we are doing nothing."
Parnell concluded the morning event, noting that, "...ships of mercy are a reflection of God's love for us." He spoke of his personal blessing to be governor for those of, "...every faith and no faith", 
vowing to, "continue serving Alaskans out of love for God."
Master of Ceremonies, Reverend Kent Redfern (NGP Photo) of Muldoon Community Assembly, said, "I love having a governor who is not afraid to express his faith."
Earlier, the program began with UAA Student Jonathon Taylor's musical prelude followed by Prayer Breakfast President Nick Pepperworth. A United States Air Force Honor Guard posted the colors. Eagle Scout Troop 144 provided Luke Cvancara to lead the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States while Sarah Cvancara (Miss Anchorage 2013, NGP Photo) flawlessly lead the audience in singing the National Anthem and Alaska Flag Song. Chaplain James Duncan provided an invocation before the audience began breakfast.
In the course of the program, Reverend Ellen Johnson-Price (First Presbyterian Church) presented Deuteronomy 4:29-31, followed by Michael Taylor of Anchorage Grace Church with Romans 12:1-2, and U.S. Army Command Chaplain (Col) Richard Quinn, who provided a moving 'Prayer for Leadership.'
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Below, we provide more event photos.
Note: Sponsors of the event included Davis Constructors & Engineers, Inc., Udelhoven Oilfield System Services Inc., KC Corporation, Alaska Air Balance, Alaska Employee Benefit Specialists, Alaska Financial Company, Alaska Industrial Insulation & Fireproofing, Anchorage Chrysler Dodge, Aurora Well Service, LLC, ChangePoint, ConocoPhillips, Cornerstone Construction, Denali Fuel & HVAC, Inc., General Mechanical, Dorothea Lovejoy, Art Mathias State Farm Insurance, Northern Air Cargo, Totem Ocean Trailer Express, Inc., All Saints Episcopal Church, Anchorage Christian School Students, Artique, Ltd., Brena, Bell & Clarkson, P.C., Color Art Printing, Dianne's Restaurant & Catering, Generation of Destiny, Nick & Lauretta Pepperworth, TRF Management Corporation. The Breakfast Board of Directors include Nick Pepperworth, Terry Burge, Ed Thielsn, Carolyn Leman, Dave Bronson, Kevin Clarkson, Heath Day, Jim Duncan, Terry Hull, Teresa Kress, Michael Paulsen, Jenni Ragland, John Roberts, Colonel Richard Quinn, Rachel Blysma
Event Photos: (Coming soon!)
Representative Lance Pruitt and Governor Sean Parnell
