11-12-19 Farewell Epilogue and Alaska’s Dangerous Oil Tax Increase By Voters Initiative

“BOTAX” Dave Harbour Glen Biegel Lawyer’s oil & gas tax scheme threatens Alaska’s economy (.PDF of this commentary here: Footnote Version & Clean Version like this w/o footnotes.) By Dave Harbour and Glen Biegel First, let’s get some ‘housekeeping’ out of the way on the proposed oil tax initiative.  Then we’ll explain why all Alaskans should be concerned. Alaska Lieutenant Governor Kevin Meyer recently certified a voter’s initiative petition application entitled “An Act relating to the oil and gas production tax, tax payments, and tax credits.”  Attorney [...]

12-14-18 A Citizen’s View Of The Two Alaska Gasline-LNG Projects

AK-LNG & ASAP: A Citizen Considers the Risks of Continuing Government Ownership by Dave Harbour How would you cope with the smorgasbord of problems/challenges Mike Dunleavy, assumed upon being sworn in as Alaska's Governor in early December? Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy Some of the challenges blocking Alaska’s road to economic recovery -- and obscuring its natural beauty -- include: a fiscal crisis and annual budget deficits, billions in state employee unfunded pension liability, the highest unemployment rate in the nation, growing crime, an amazingly burdensome array of [...]

5-16-18 The Life of Shale Plays

Shale Plays Today Our Mid Atlantic energy guru today writes about the success and decline of the shale phenomenon.  We are always grateful for his perspective.  -dh In January, we ran the note below about the Bakken. Four months later, production has dropped in three out of four months despite higher prices, the number of rigs is stagnant, the number of uncompleted wells has moved up only slightly, and the number of inactive wells is up over 10%.  During the last year, the prime locations have been targeted for drilling, [...]

By |2018-05-17T08:35:48-09:00May 16th, 2018|Columnists, Reader Comment|0 Comments

4-24-18 Important Reader Comment

We appreciate the lucid and studied comments of our readers, including this one reflecting our last Friday's editorial: Author: Donald M. Bullock Jr.  URL: https://northerngaspipelines.com/4-20-18-should-alaskan-politicians-align-their-states-future-with-communist-chinas/ Comment: Very well written Mr. Harbour. It is painful watching the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation (AGDC) going down the same unproductive path as the dead Alaska Gasoline Port Authority (AGPA). At this time, AGDC has no gas to sell. The State of Alaska also has no gas to sell until those lessees that have the exclusive right to produce the gas actually produce and convey [...]

By |2018-04-25T07:09:56-09:00April 24th, 2018|Commentary, Interstate Gas, Reader Comment|0 Comments

1-9-18 PANMUNJOM SUMMIT ON KOREAN DMZ IS IN TODAY’S SPOTLIGHT! – Calling For Gas Pipeline Contractors/Operators, Ukraine! Be A Pioneer!

The Definition of Insanity Yes, this webpage is about energy but -- without freedom -- free enterprise, prosperity and civilization's unalienable rights are all threatened by Dave Harbour Fishing on the DMZ, image courtesy Washington Times Temporarily elected and appointed politicians and bureaucrats can adopt the definition of "insanity" just as individuals are prone to do. That is, if one tries unsuccessfully to solve a problem using the same unsuccessful techniques again and again he might be "tetched", or stupid or corrupt.  Charitably, we default to [...]

11/10/17 We’re From the Government and We’re Here To Help!

Consumer Interests Are Best Protected by Free Enterprises and Not Government Enterprises by Dave Harbour Alaska's governor has taken FULL CONTROL OVER what amounts to a 'nationalized' North Slope natural gas project and has attempted to make it glitter with a supportive array of "memoranda of understanding" from Asian (i.e. most recently Chinese) countries.  Without political, uneconomic dealmaking, the project is infeasible at this time--even if it were more efficiently managed by the private sector.  This is because, with an 800 mile pipeline to fold into the LNG project's [...]

10-31-17

U.S. A note this morning from our Mid-Atlantic energy analyst friend:   We have written a few notes in the past year about the new arenas for potential gas-on-gas competition in markets that previously were potentially underserved. This is a normal capitalist result of easy money, large resource volumes, and relatively free regulatory constraints. We have identified the period 2016 to about 2023 as the period of infrastructure for the natural gas markets. With so many moving parts involved in the production, transportation, and end use of the resource being undertaking simultaneously, it [...]

By |2017-10-31T05:13:31-09:00October 31st, 2017|Columnists, Fracking, Reader Comment|0 Comments

8-29-17 Guest Commentary On “The Opportunity Costs of the Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend”

This article analyzing the trade-offs involved with the Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend was published in the Journal of Economics and Public Finance last week. The Opportunity Costs of the Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend by Roger Marks1* 1 Principal, Roger Marks Economics, Anchorage, Alaska * Roger Marks, E-mail: rmarks@rmeconomics.com Roger Marks, Senior Oil & Gas Economist. Northern Gas Pipelines file photo by Dave Harbou Abstract The Alaska Permanent Fund was established by the State of Alaska in 1976 to save a portion of windfall revenues resulting from the [...]

8-11-17 A Looming Disaster in Alaska’s Susitna Basin?

Today we provide this letter that a long time reader and natural resource expert sent us yesterday.  While the general subject revolves around forest management for maximum benefit of Alaska's people, we note that the concepts of multiple use and sustain yield apply to oil, gas and mining.  Why?  Because mining and energy do not preclude other uses of public and private lands -- and are highly regulated in any case.  Second, while forests and hunted and fished species, managed properly, are "renewable", oil, gas and mining are "newable". [...]

7-6-17 President Trump Offered Poland Energy and Missile Defense Lifelines

Today President Trump announced to an admiring crowd in Warsaw that Poland should not be dependent upon a single source of energy.  As the President leaves Poland for Germany -- and a demanding G-20 summit -- he leaves behind a legacy of warm cooperation.   That legacy on the one hand includes Poland's continuing commitment to NATO and on the other hand a US commitment to provide an alternate fuel supply of LNG as well as a missile defence program.    See related stories below.  -dh  (Photo: President Trump in [...]

6-14-17 One of our readers articulates the unappreciated dangers America faces

Your publisher has always had a deep appreciation for Marc Bond, his dedication to Alaska and his professional abilities.  We, along with Easy Gilbreth, as I remember, were the three co-signers of the Articles of Incorporation of the ANWR non-profit corporation, Arctic Power.  If memory serves, our former Lieutenant Governor and current RCA Commissioner, Steve McAlpine, served as the first, or one of the first, Arctic Power presidents.   So, it is always a pleasure to hear from, read about or review the writing of such valued, old friends. [...]

3-7-17 Former Alaska Gas Pipeline Federal Coordinator Describes Governor’s Request For An EXCLUSIVE FRANCHISE To A Bureaucracy-Owned LNG Project

Op-Ed From Former Federal Gas Pipeline Coordinator, Larry Persily.... State signs on to cover costs of FERC contractor for EIS Larry Persily, Northern Gas Pipelines file photo by Dave Harbour By Larry Persily lpersily@kpb.us March 7, 2017   (This update, provided by the Kenai Peninsula Borough mayor’s office, is part of an ongoing effort to help keep the public informed about the Alaska LNG project.) As part of taking over sole responsibility for the Alaska LNG project, the state has signed an agreement to cover the costs [...]

2-28-17 Alaska Has Room To Cut Spending…But Do Its Elected Leaders Have The Will?

Does Alaska have a Spending Problem?  Benchmarking is the Answer By Representative Lora Reinbold, February 26, 2017 Representative Lora Reinbold, Eagle River, Alaska. Northern Gas Pipelines file photo by Dave Harbour The Governor, some in the Legislature and even some prominent Alaskans don’t believe Alaska has a spending problem.  They say that Alaska has a revenue problem and argue that Alaska needs to implement more revenue options, i.e. taking your money to fuel big government.  Their tired refrain is simply to argue, “you can’t cut your way [...]

2-22-17 Keen Perspective: Macro Energy Trends

From our Mid-Atlantic Energy Analyst Friend: One of the best items we have read in recent times is linked below. It is a great history from Roman times of how monetary policy is really in place to serve the government, not the people We urge you to read it. We learned more from this presentation than any one item in a long time. https://mises.org/library/inflation-and-fall-roman-empire Finally, an update on the progress of the Aramco IPO, just since our note yesterday. We see the IPO as quite probably the largest single [...]

By |2017-02-22T04:38:42-09:00February 22nd, 2017|Reader Comment, You Read It Here First|0 Comments

7-7-16 DOI RELEASES FINAL ARCTIC OCS DRILLING REGULATIONS

ALERT ALERT ALERT HERE IS THE DOI LINK YOU'LL NEED HERE ARE THE ACTUAL NEW ARCTIC OCS REGULATIONS Cautionary note: The email alert we issued today indicated that we would have more to say in coming weeks about these Arctic OCS regulations.  Our initial scanning of the regs today, did not lead us to immediate judgment.  We deeply respect the work of Congressman Bishop (below) and his predecessor, Doc Hastings.  However, on this issue of the Arctic OCS regs, study is required before reaching final conclusions.  A respected friend with one of [...]

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