The Annual Conference of the Resource Development Council for Alaska opens today in Anchorage to what we expect to be a standing room only audience.  Scroll down to read our commentary which debuts today in a special insert produced for this conference.  By Saturday, we’ll also complete our NARUC entry in yesterday’s posting.  -dh

ADN by Elizabeth Bluemink.  Tom Barrett (NGP Photo coming), 63, is scheduled to begin working at the company, which operates the 800-mile trans-Alaska pipeline, on Jan. 1.  Barrett is taking the helm at a time when the pipeline faces a major turning point: As oil production from the North Slope oil fields is dwindling, the pipeline company has been cutting costs, relocating employees and studying how many years longer it can continue to operate the pipeline without a major new infusion of oil.