The Alliance’s very own quarterly publication with news about Alaska’s natural resources, projects, politics, industry updates, and association information. Please contact us if you are interested in joining our mailing list for a physical copy.
THE LINK The Official Magazine of the Alaska Support Industry Alliance
PIONEERING ALASKA SPIRIT HONORING DALTON’S LEGACY PIPELINE TRAINING CENTER BUILDING A BASE OF TALENT INTERIOR’S MILITARY MIGHT BASES VITAL TO ECONOMY ALASKA’S MINING HUB DRILLING INTO THE IMPACT
FOCUS ON FAIRBANKS: POWERING PROSPERITY
FALL 2026 | www.AlaskaAlliance.com
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Alaska’s producing companies and projects that can create long- term economic opportunity for our state. We made our voice heard in sup- port of the Glenfarne Alaska LNG project and continued to advocate for responsible resource develop- ment and the thousands of Alaskans whose livelihoods depend on it. Our record-breaking member - ship growth, increased engage - ment and expanded advocacy are examples of what happens when Alaskan companies come together. We have a powerful and credi- ble voice. If your company isn’t already a member, you should be. Membership provides access, advocacy and engagement with some of the best business owners and industry leaders Alaska has to offer. Our members have a seat at the table and a network of people who understand what it takes to do business here. We do it right in Alaska — and that makes us proud. Looking Forward Alaska is entering a period of enormous opportunity. Our resource industries have the potential to drive investment, create careers, strengthen com- munities and provide the economic activity our state needs. But opportunity doesn’t happen by accident. It takes people willing to show up, speak up, invest and do the work. It takes an environ - ment where businesses can eval - uate risk and make long-term in - vestments with confidence. And it takes leaders who understand that Alaska is a resource state and that responsible resource development is fundamental to our future. We are also entering election season. The people we send to Juneau and Washington, D.C. will make decisions that affect every one of us. Alaskans need to pay attention, participate and make
Message From Skeet Black, Board of Directors President A Year of Momentum ... and a Future Full of Opportunity
A lliance Members and Friends: year at the Alliance. As I prepare to hand over the gavel to a very capable Greg Mill- er of Cruz Construction, I’ve been reflecting on what the Alliance accomplished together during the past year. One of the highlights was seeing our board fully engaged in the work of the Alliance. Our strategic planning offsite brought the entire board together for an honest con- versation about who we are, what makes this organization different, and where we want to go next. That offsite produced something very important: momentum . Well, it’s been a busy We came away with ambitious, tangible initiatives designed to make the Alliance more valuable to our members, more visible to producers and a stronger voice for our state. We launched plans for a new podcast focused on Alaska’s energy sector and the people who make it work. Public Affairs Chair Stepha - nie Merritt of Matson and Execu - tive Board Member at Large Jessica Short jumped right in, developing the content, schedule, speakers,
Membership Committee Chair Jesse Carlstrom of Northrim Bank, we launched our Member Spotlight program, giving member compa- nies the opportunity to be high- lighted through a professional, public-facing profile on our web - site that they can then share across their social media channels. Jesse also helped get our schol- arship program back online with the University of Alaska Fairbanks, while launching a new scholarship program designed to help some- one get started with a career in the trades. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Darren Franz, President of FNBA, our Finance and Adminis - tration Chair, who helps ensure we remain fiscally responsible while pursuing these initiatives. Great ideas can get expensive and Darren helped us stay true to our mission while holding us accountable to the financial realities of our decisions. We Showed Up We also showed up where it mattered. Twelve Alliance board members traveled to Washington, D.C. for Alaska on the Hill in April. We ad - vocated for our member companies,
equipment and everything else needed to get it off the ground. We held our first Industry Ap - preciation Event, bringing mem- bers and their families together to show our appreciation for the producing companies we work with. It was an overwhelming suc - cess, thanks to Industry Chair Todd Whitehead of Nana Management Services, his committee members and the Alliance staff. We broke membership records and set social media records for both outreach and engagement. And we aren’t done. Through the hard work of
sure our elected leaders understand Alaska’s priorities. Our state’s unique economy and challenges deserve to be under- stood and represented. A Well-Deserved Honor Finally, I want to recognize our CEO Rebecca Logan. Rebecca was recently honored with the Alaska Oil and Gas Asso - ciation’s Marilyn Crockett Lifetime Achievement Award. It was an incredible and well-deserved rec - ognition of her years of service to Alaska’s oil and gas industry. What made it even more special was hav - ing Marilyn Crockett herself come to Alaska to present the award. Rebecca has been an extraor - dinary leader for the Alliance. Her knowledge, determination, rela -
tionships and relentless commit- ment to getting things done have helped make this organization what it is today. I am also incredibly grateful to the Alliance board. Its engagement this year was exceptional. Board members didn’t just attend meet - ings, they rolled up their sleeves, brought ideas, challenged one another and did the work. That is the Alliance. Thank you for allowing me to serve as your president. It has been an honor, and I’m proud of what we accomplished together. I’m even more excited about what comes next. Sincerely, Skeet Black, President, Alaska Support Industry Alliance
“Alaska is entering a period of enormous opportunity. Our resource industries have the potential to drive investment, create careers, strengthen communities and provide the economic activity our state needs. But opportunity doesn’t happen by accident.”
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FEATURES
Pages 10-21 Trailblazing endeavors forged future of Alaska James Dalton is synonymous with the pioneering spirit of Alaska. In honoring his legacy, Libby Dalton, Jim’s daughter, offers a glimpse into the life of the man who helped shape Alaska’s resource industries.
ON THE COVER Interior Alaska’s strategic location, infrastructure, workforce and deep connection to mining, oil and gas, military and transportation make the Interior a vital hub for developing Alaska’s vast natural resources. As new projects emerge and existing operations expand, Fairbanks is positioned to remain at the center of Alaska’s resource economy for decades to come. Photo: Fairbanks Pipeline Training Center
ON THIS PAGE Alaska’s mine operations continue to push forward amid a new wave of mining innovation. From Kinross Alaska trucking high-grade Manh Choh ore for processing at the Fort Knox site to Northern Star Resources’ Pogo Mine celebrating its 20th anniversary and more than 5 million ounces of gold, the impact of Alaska’s mines remains firmly entrenched for decades to come. Photo: Kinross Alaska
Pages 28-31 AOGA Annual Awards honor industry leaders Current Alliance members were among those honored for leadership in safety, innovation, environmental stewardship and service by the Alaska Oil and Gas Association during its 2026 AOGA Industry Awards. Pages 42-43 Critical Mineral Engine earns vital funding The National Science Foundation Critical Mineral Accelerator Engine in Alaska will receive $15 million during its first two years and could receive as much as $160 million over 10 years.
THE LINK is published in partnership with the Alaska Support Industry Alliance by Fireweed Strategies LLC, 4849 Potter Crest Circle, Anchorage, AK 99516. We actively seek contributions from Alliance members and the oil and gas, and mining industry. For advertising information and story inquiries, email Lee.Leschper@FireweedStrategies.com
Our magazine is mailed at no charge throughout Alaska to those interested in resource development and a healthy Alaska economy. To subscribe, email Admin@FireweedStrategies.com
Publisher: Lee Leschper | Managing Editor: Will Leschper | Contributing Writer: Tim Bradner Contributing Photographer: Judy Patrick
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November Matters: Know the Stakes ... Know Your Ballot Message From CEO Rebecca Logan
A lliance Members and Friends: November’s election matters — a lot. The people we elect will make decisions that directly affect Alaska’s economy, our businesses, our workforce and our ability to responsibly develop the resources that pay for schools, roads, pub- lic services and opportunities for Alaskans. For those of us in the support industry, these decisions aren’t theoretical. We see the conse- quences of good policy — and bad policy — in our businesses, our hiring, our investments and our communities. There is a very real choice ahead. Candidates who understand the importance of a strong private sector and responsible resource development can help Alaska grow. Candidates who want to make it harder, more expensive or more uncertain to produce Alas- ka’s oil, gas and minerals put jobs, investment and Alaska’s economic future at risk. That’s why we all need to pay attention. The Alliance does not tell our members how to vote. But we
stand how your ballot works. Alaska’s Nov. 3 General Election will use Ranked-Choice Voting for state and federal candidate races. That means your ballot is more than simply picking one name. You have the opportunity to rank candidates in order of preference. If your first-choice candidate is eliminated, your vote can move to your next-ranked candidate. The process continues in rounds until a candidate receives a majority. So before you head to the polls: Know the candidates. Know their positions. Know how Ranked-Choice Voting works. And know how you want to rank your ballot. Alaska has enormous opportu - nity ahead of us. But opportunity doesn’t develop itself. It takes investment, responsible policy, a strong workforce and elected lead - ers who understand that a healthy private sector is essential to a healthy Alaska. This election will help deter- mine what comes next. Make sure your voice is part of it.
will make sure you have the in - formation you need to make an informed decision. Ahead of the election, the Alliance will provide members with candidate infor- mation and where candidates stand on the issues that matter to our industry and Alaska’s econ- omy. We encourage you to read it, ask questions and do your own homework. And this year, knowing the candidates is only part of the equation. You also need to under-
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Pioneering Alaska spirit: The legacy of Jim Dalton
Industrious work paved the way for today’s operations EDITOR’S NOTE: James William Dalton is synonymous with the pioneer- ing spirit of Alaska. “Jim” served in nu- merous roles during the first half of the 20th Century as the state’s resource in- dustries began to expand. On the follow- ing pages, Elizabeth “Libby” Dalton, Jim’s daughter, offers a glimpse into the life of the man who helped shape Alaska and later became the namesake for the vital artery that paved the way for oil and gas and mining operations today. T he man who first took an active part in urging development of North- ern Alaska was Jim Dalton, a mining engineer and a lifelong Alaskan who lived on Dalton Trail, off Yankovich Road in Fairbanks. The son of Alaskan trailblazer, Jack Dalton, Jim mined in the Inte - rior, served in World War II in the Navy Seabees, supervised the Alaska sector of the DEW Line (Distant Early Warning system), worked in oil and gas exploration in Naval Petroleum Reserve No. 4 and worked in North Slope development from Barrow to Prudhoe Bay. His mother and father, Jack and Anna, settled in Cordova after Jack’s long, industrious career. Jim should have been born there, but due to lack of medical facilities, mother and son traveled to Seattle for his birth. He was born Jan. 30, 1913, and returned to Cordova two weeks later. Soon a sister, Josephine, followed.
Fairbanks Exploration Co., Gold Plac - ers Inc., American Creek Operating Co. and Boundary Dredging Co. He became skilled in constructing roads and camps, and excelled at winter freighting of equipment and supplies. When the United States became involved in WWII, Jim joined the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in Fair - banks. He engaged in the construc - tion of Ladd Air Force Base built during 1941 and 1942. He enlisted in the Navy Seabees in 1943 with hopes of being assigned to the Pet Four op - erations just then being undertaken
The family left Alaska in 1919, re - locating to Seattle and later Yakima, Wash. Jim attended parochial gram- mar and high school in Yakima and one year at Bellarmine College Pre - paratory School. He began college at Western Washington University in Yakima, then transferred to the Alas - ka Agricultural College and School of Mines in Fairbanks, graduating in 1937 with a mining engineering de - gree. From 1935-1942, Jim worked in the mining industry of Interior Alas- ka. His work involved mapping, sur - veying, drilling and mining of gold placer deposits. He worked for the
Photos Courtesy Libby Dalton ABOVE: A camp worker, Alaska Gov. Walter J. “Wally” Hickel and Jim Dalton in the mid-1960s. RIGHT: Jim with son George and daugher Libby during the construction of their home in 1959 off Yankovich Road in Fairbanks.
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Join us to honor a legend!
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by the Navy’s Construction Battalion. But instead, he was assigned to the naval station at Dutch Harbor from 1944-45 and later to a naval airbase on Oahu, Hawaii, from 1945-46. He separated from the Navy in 1946 and took a job with Arctic Con - tractors, which had been awarded a long-term contract by the Director of the U.S. Naval Petroleum Reserves to explore for oil in Pet Four and adja - cent areas. Arctic Contractors had been orga- nized by a consortium hired to con- tinue the exploratory work in Pet Four initiated by the Seabees in 1944-45. Dalton was at Umiat from 1946- 47 as camp foreman, office engineer in Fairbanks from 1948-50 and from 1950-53 at Barrow as assistant then general superintendent. In September 1953, Arctic Contractors disbanded when the Navy suspended explorato - ry activities in Pet Four. Dalton’s duties during his tenure involved mainly logistics, including planning and management needed to undertake vast seismic and drilling programs within a 70,000-square- mile area of the Arctic, about half of which was outside Pet Four. His re - sponsibilities included: construction of base camps at Point Barrow and Umiat; ordering, receiving and stor- ing exploratory equipment; adapta - tion of conventional drilling equip- ment to Arctic conditions; developing surface transportation plans capable of delivering drilling equipment and supplies to field sites located as much as 400 miles from Barrow; construc - tion of foundations for deep test wells (pioneering work in the use of tim - ber and steel pilings in permafrost zones); and the organization and op- eration of air support for field work and movement of workers, freight and mail between base camps and field sites. When Arctic Contractors disband- ed, Jim was hired in 1953 as manager for the Alaska Development Boards’ Railbelt Office. In 1953-54, he wrote several reports and promotional pa- pers articulating the feasibility of
Following the Fairbanks Forum on Oct. 1, please join us at the Wedgewood Resort for a community reception honoring James Dalton and his induction into the Alaska Oil & Gas Historical Soci- ety Hall of Fame. This special reception from 4:30-6 p.m. will celebrate Dalton’s contributions to Alaska and his place in the history of our state’s oil and gas industry. Come raise a glass, connect with fellow Alaskans and help us recognize a new member of the AKOGHS Hall of Fame. Everyone is welcome. We hope to see you there!
Jim and wife Kathleen “Mike” Dalton.
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Jim and family celebrating George’s birthday in 1961.
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ABOVE: Cat train to Umiat, 1945 INSET: Barges being unloaded on Arctic beach BELOW: Barge and boats on the beach, August 1945
ABOVE: NPR-4 Staff at headquarters in Point Barrow, 1947 INSET: Umiat 1946 Arctic Contractors BELOW: Point Barrow, September 1945
Dalton’s knowledge of the roadless North Slope, Arctic seasonal access and the area’s resources and daunting challenges assisted State leaders in the 1960s as they selected state lands proven to be valuable petroleum resources.
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Kuparuk, Shaviovik and Sagwon. He continued to work as a consul - tant in the 1960s and provided con - sulting services for the Pet Four di - rector related to the drilling of natural gas wells in the South Barrow field, which he helped discover. In 1963, he helped design a temporary surface gas distribution system which delivered gas from Pet Four to Barrow. He sub - sequently supervised construction of a permanent system which continues to be operated for Barrow to this day. What may have been Jim Dalton’s most valuable contribution to Alaska was his leading role in the promo - tion of his Gubik Report, a 1954 study proclaiming the feasibility of devel- oping and marketing northern Alas - ka’s crude oil and gas. The Gubik gas field, located just south of Prudhoe Bay discovery well, was discovered during the Navy’s Pet Four explora - tions between 1944 and 1953. Tests
showed it contained large quantities of natural gas. The Navy had established Naval Petroleum Reserve No. 4 (Pet Four) which consisted of approximately 23 million acres withdrawn from devel - opment. In addition to Pet 4, when oil and gas deposits were located near the eastern boundary of the Naval Reserve, the Federal Government withdrew an additional 20 million acres known as Public Land Order No. 82, which en - compassed the Gubik Field — making that proven gas bearing area, like all of Pet 4 — unavailable for commercial leasing and development. Dalton was convinced Gubik gas could provide a reliable and econom- ic source of natural gas along the Railbelt for structural and heating purposes. And that a small diame- ter pipeline needed to carry it was
local resource development, including the use of natural gas from the Arc- tic as a source for structural heat and power along the Railbelt. From 1954-57, he was employed by Puget Sound and Drake as general superintendent and assistant project manager for the Alaska sector of the DEW Line. He later supervised the construction of 16 DEW Line stations built along the Arctic Ocean shoreline of Alaska. Dalton worked as a consultant for the Director of the U.S. Naval Petro - leum and Shale Oil Reserves from 1957-1963. He continued to be active in petroleum and mineral explora - tion programs for private industry in various Alaska locations including the Alaska Peninsula, Cook Inlet ba - sin, Kobuk, Nulato, and on the North Slope at Umiat, Little Twist, Gubik,
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Photos Courtesy Libby Dalton
Mike and Jim at Point Barrow in 1952.
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ABOVE: Ice breaker and supply ships off Point Barrow coast, 1950 INSET: South Barrow No. 4 gas well, 4-inch line to Barrow Camp, Sept. 7, 1950 BELOW: Umiat Terminal, winter 1951-52
Dalton’s work for private sector engineering firms
1962-64: Organized a cat train for the Kennecott Copper Co. and located a winter trail into the Kobuk Valley’s Bornite areas in Northwest- ern Alaska. 1964-65: Supervised the con- struction of the Dahl Creek runway and road system. 1966-67: Supervising engineer for Burgess Construction on the first segment of the four-lane construc- tion of the Richardson Highway outside Fairbanks. 1966-67: Helped engineer a 6-mile portion of the Skagway-Car- cross Highway, the first direct road link between Southeast Alaska and Whitehorse, Canada. 1967: Worked as an engineer on the construction of Barrow’s first paved runway. 1967: Completed the first survey
for a proposed extension of the Alaska Railroad from Nenana to the Yukon River for the State of Alaska. 1968-69: During the winter, set up drilling wildcat rigs and camps at East Kuparuk and Shaviovik on the North Slope including mobili- zation, construction of runways and winter freighting from Fairbanks by cat train and trucks. 1969-70: Relocated the state’s route for the northern sector of the controversial winter haul road from Anaktuvuk Pass to the Sagavanirk- tok River near Galbraith Lake — the “Hickel Highway.” 1974-75: Helped complete three more development wells in the south Barrow Gas Field, expanding the gas field and support facilities at Camp Barrow.
Charlie Parr, State House Representative from Fairbanks, sponsored and introduced a bill in the State Legislature to name the highway north to the oilfields after Jim Dalton. And in 1981, the North Slope Haul Road was officially named the Dalton Highway.
Jim driving Alcan in September 1949.
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er influential Alaskans to have Public Land Order No. 82 revoked, succeed - ed. U.S. Secretary of Interior Secretary Fred Seaton, under President Dwight D. Eisenhower, agreed to rescind it. This led to 20 million acres of prom- ising North Slope land for private leasing and drilling. While Dalton’s hope for producing Gubik gas and moving it by pipeline to Fairbanks and the Railbelt did not materialize, the newly available ad - ditional acreage prompted oil com- panies to lease, explore and drill new wells, which led to the discovery of Prudhoe Bay in 1967-68. Jim Dalton finished his working career as an engineering, transporta- tion and logistics expert in the Arctic. His early Arctic Contractors work in NPR-4 was invaluable. He conduct - ed numerous overland expeditions that supplied remote sites. He staked thousands of miles of winter trails
throughout the years from Canada to the Bering Sea and from the Arctic Ocean to the Brooks Range. He con - structed ice runways and bridges and supervised the drilling of exploratory oil and gas wells. His knowledge of the roadless North Slope, Arctic seasonal access and the area’s resources and daunt- ing challenges assisted State leaders in the 1960s as they selected state lands proven to be valuable petroleum resources. Today, we recognize some of those areas as the Simpson Seeps, Colville River Basin, Prudhoe Bay, Kuparuk and the Gubik Gas Field. Charlie Parr, State House Repre - sentative from Fairbanks, sponsored and introduced a bill in the Alaska State Legislature to name the high - way north to the oilfields after Jim Dalton. And in 1981, the North Slope Haul Road was officially named the Dalton Highway.
economically feasible. He decided to see what he could do to get development started. He applied for and accepted a position with the Alaska Development Board. He thought that a detailed, doc - umented report on feasibility of de- veloping Northern Alaska petroleum would carry much more weight when issued by a government agency than would be if privately published. His feasibility report was pub - lished June 30, 1954. It’s an 80-page book accepted as an official publi - cation of the Alaska Developmental Board, Territory of Alaska. Known as the “Gubik Report” his feasibili - ty study created considerable interest among oil companies, but the area involved (Gubik Field) was locked up under Public Land Order No. 82. During a period of several years, his persistent efforts along with oth -
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Photos Courtesy Libby Dalton
Cat tracks being loaded on bush planes July 15, 1945. That year was the first season for exploration by the U.S. Navy Seabees.
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Dalton Highway remains a challenge for truckers
cations, which can stretch the time needed for the transit to Deadhorse, at Prudhoe Bay, to 14 hours or more on a trip that should take 10 hours. This creates a problem because drivers must take rest stops after a certain number of hours and there are few places to pull off the road to take a break, Benson said. Coldfoot, north of the Yukon River, has facilities to rest, eat, refuel and do limited repairs, but there is nothing between Coldfoot and Deadhorse, at the northern end of road. Washouts are not infrequent, such as one near the Yukon River Bridge that closed the Dalton for days, Ben- son said. These issues delay deliveries and raise costs. There also are wide and heavy loads that are common on the Dalton with the new oil field developments on the North Slope. Field developers typically move oil process plant units in modules by truck and this caus - es traffic restrictions on the narrow road. It also requires pilot cars as es- corts because the Dalton is a public highway where these are required for wide loads. There also is a regular influx of tourists in summer. “Sometimes they don’t make the best decisions, such as stopping in the road to take pictures with an 80,000-pound truck barreling down on them,” Benson said. There are some specific, and no - torious, trouble spots for truckers on the Dalton. One is the “Beaver Slide,” south of Coldfoot, a long, 2-mile hill that creates a swampy mess of mud when it rains. “Drivers sometimes have to chain up to get through it,” Anderson said.
of mineral prospects and commercial development. New truck support and rest facilities like Coldfoot are badly needed, for example. But the faster access to new mate - rial sites is very important, Anderson said, not only in improving response to road maintenance needs but pro- viding better quality material that can better stand up to more intense sum- mer rains. Another manmade problem for the Dalton is simply limited resources. DOTPF’s budget for road maintenance is about $25 million a year, which is insufficient, said Jamie Benson, pres - ident of the Alaska Trucking Associ - ation. “Even twice that amount probably wouldn’t be enough,” Benson said. “DOTPF does a fantastic job with the resources they have. When there’s a problem, they are right on it. We fully support them.” The main issue is the state Leg- islature has been unable to provide enough funding. Almost all lawmak - ers understand the need, Benson said, but the money has to come from state general funds that must also sup- port schools, public safety and other services. In recent years, revenues to support the general fund have been constrained. Meanwhile, the rough condition of the road is taking a toll on drivers and equipment. Something as simple and routine as replacing a tire on a pickup truck can cost more than $1,000, Ben - son said. Tires for heavy equipment are much more expensive. Winter is typically the best time to drive the Dalton, but even then, ava- lanches can pose a significant safety risk. During the summer, the softer road beds require drivers to slow to as low as 5 miles per hour in some lo -
State control of TAPS corridor may aid improvements Things are challenging for truckers on the Dalton Highway, the 440-mile industrial road linking Interior Alaska with the North Slope. An increasing pattern of heavy rain is causing roadbed material to de- grade almost faster than state high- way crews can replace it. Also, thaw - ing permafrost is softening soil and causing slumping at certain points. Both the rain and permafrost thaw are consequences of Mother Nature. But some problems are manmade. Until recently, for example, the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (BLM), which controls federal land in the area, had applications for new mate - rial sites for gravel on a “slow-roll” with added requirements for envi - ronmental review. Material sites are needed for highway maintenance on the Dalton, which is still mostly a gravel road. State Department of Transpor - tation and Public Facilities (DOTPF) crews were having to work out of ex - isting sites, and in some cases were having to haul gravel as far as 100 miles, state Transportation Commis- sioner Ryan Anderson said. The good news is that the situation has shifted, Anderson said. The U.S. Department of the Inte - rior recently transferred lands along the pipeline corridor held by the BLM, which is part of the Interior Depart - ment, to the state of Alaska. The state has long sought ownership and con - trol of lands along the pipeline corri- dor to secure access for development
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Pipeline Training Center forging Alaska’s future
Skilled workers of tomorrow being cultivated today For 25 years, the Fairbanks Pipe - line Training Center (FPTC) has been the go-to place for North Slope craft workers who build the pipelines and other infrastructure needed for new oil and gas development on the Slope. Things have been pretty busy up north with the new Pikka and Wil - low projects coming to fruition and the work is likely to continue with the expansions now planned for Pikka. About 750 to 1,000 workers a year go through FPTCs training to learn a variety of trade skills, everything from an introduction to the trades for high schoolers to traditional pipeline construction training. FPTC typically has 80 in its core pipeline where four trades are brought together to train before being dispatched to job sites on the slope, said Amy Schumacher, Ex - ecutive Director of the center, which is a nonprofit formed in 2008. Teamsters Local 959, Operating Engineers Local 302, Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 375 Laborers Locals 942 and 341, and IBEW Local 1547
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“A lot of young people just don’t know about the trades or about unions, and the opportunities they bring. Our mission is to give Alaskans an opportunity in training for the oil and gas industries.” — Amy Schumacher, Executive Director, Fairbanks Pipeline Training Center
Photos Courtesy Fairbanks Pipeline Training Center The Fairbanks Pipeline Training Center is an important part of Alaska’s broader technical workforce system. For Fiscal Year 2027, FPTC is slated to receive $1.88 million through the state’s Technical Vocational Education Program (TVEP). TVEP funding supports technical and vocational programs aligned with regional workforce needs and industry priorities.
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Together, these programs illus- trate a workforce strategy that begins with career exposure and technical education and can continue through apprenticeship and into Alaska’s re - source and construction industries. A one-day career exploration class is also offered through the local school district, home schools and rural out- reach programs. It is supplemented with an optional multi-day session at the end of the school year. Each class and outreach opportu- nity comes with an explanation of ap - prenticeship programs. “A lot of young people just don’t know about the trades or about unions,” and the opportunities they bring,” Schumacher said. “Our mis - sion is to give Alaskans an opportu - nity in training for the oil and gas in- dustries.”
nities for young people to explore the trades. In that regard, FPTC’s work - force role increasingly starts long be- fore a student enters an apprentice- ship. The Fairbanks North Star Borough School District held a Welding Acad - emy at the FPTC complex in 2026, giving students hands-on experience with pipe welding, pipe cutting, stick, flux-core and TIG welding. Success - ful completion can provide a pathway into union apprenticeships. The center also recently partnered with the Doyon Foundation and Alas - ka Regional Career & Technical Inte - rior Consortium on an Intro to Heavy Duty Mechanics and Welding program for rural Doyon-region high school students. The program will give par - ticipating students hands-on experi - ence at FPTC while exposing them to industrial careers and union instruc- tion.
Former Fairbanks Borough Mayor Jim Sampson, also a former state labor commissioner, spearheaded develop- ment of the center on a lease of land owned by the borough. Over the years, the facility has grown to support a variety of region - al training needs mostly related to North Slope work including the Uni - versity of Alaska Fairbanks’ Commu - nity and Technical College process technology program. Also, the Alas- ka Construction Academy and Alas - ka Works programs, both of which facilitate craft-orientated career and technical orientation and outreach to school districts, are given support by the pipeline training center, Schum - acher said. An important part of the center’s mission is reaching out to high school students in career and technical edu- cation in Fairbanks and Interior Alas - ka communities to provide opportu -
— Tim Bradner
PROUDLY OUTFITTING ALASKA’S WORKFORCE
Photo Courtesy Fairbanks Pipeline Training Center The workforce pipeline is being built at multiple levels, from high-school students and rural youth programs to apprenticeships, industry credentials and skilled workers in Alaska’s natural resources industries.
then welded. Several crafts participate in this, for example teamsters in mov - ing the pipe, operators and laborers in loading and unloading, and plumbers and pipefitters in the installation and welding. A soon to be addition at the center is equipment to teach workers how to install Vertical Support Members (VSMs), which are used on the Slope to support the pipe, which is elevat - ed to protect the land surface and the underlying permafrost from heat transfer. Another class is also taught to train for safely working on scaf - folds, which are the temporary ele - vated platforms for workers and tools
for construction or maintenance. There’s also a drafting class to instruct in calculations of how to weld bends and curves in pipelines. There are classes in mechanics for heavy-duty equipment, too. Safety is a major theme in the training with daily briefings in the schedule. A re - sult of this is the superior safety re- cords of the craft unions participating in the training, Schumacher said. The center is on a 57-acre field with a nine-acre campus. The FPTC has several buildings to support class- room instruction, shops for equipment storage and training and a dormitory to support 36 non-Fairbanks trainees.
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(representing the Building Trades), are partners with FPTC. The unions send journeymen and apprentices to the center for everything from skills upgrades to health and safety class- es such as first aid and CPR certifi - cations. The hands-on training at the cen- ter is in addition to that provided by the craft unions. The pipeline train- ing center shows the construction of a mock pipeline segment and is done with pipe being loaded on trucks, moved to a work site, unloaded and
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AOGA Industry Awards Current Alliance members were among those honored for leadership in safety, innovation, environmental stew - ardship and service by the Alaska Oil and Gas Association (AOGA) during its 2026 AOGA Industry Awards at the as - sociation’s annual conference in late August in Anchorage.
Marilyn Crockett Lifetime Achievement Award — Rebecca Logan, Alaska Support Industry Alliance: The Marilyn Crockett Lifetime Achievement Award is named in honor of the former AOGA executive director who dedicated her 41-year career to, as she stated, “growing Alaska’s economy through a vibrant oil and gas sector in the state.” This award honors the dedication Marilyn displayed during her career: exceptional devotion of time, effort, thought and action consistently shown in work for the betterment of the oil and gas industry in Alaska. Rebecca Logan has spent more than two decades working on behalf of Alaska’s oil and gas industry, including nearly 16 years as CEO of the Alaska Support Industry Alliance. Throughout her tenure, Logan has been a consistent and influential advocate for a competitive business climate and responsible resource development, representing companies whose work supports roughly 50,000 employees across Alaska. A defining feature of Logan’s leadership has been her ability to bring people together around issues critical to Alaska’s energy future. She has mobilized contractors, employees and business leaders across the state, giving Alaska’s oil and gas support sector a strong, unified voice and ensuring the people whose livelihoods depend on resource development are represented in conversations shaping the industry’s future. Logan helped establish the Alaska Oil & Gas Historical Society to preserve the industry’s history and created Ve - locity, the Alliance’s young professionals group, to devel- op Alaska’s next generation of resource industry leaders. She has volunteered with the Anchorage School District’s Academies of Anchorage program, helping connect stu- dents with career opportunities in resource development. Through nearly 16 years at the helm of the Alliance, Logan has strengthened the voice of Alaska’s oil and gas support sector while creating programs and institutions that will continue serving the industry for years to come. Contractor of the Year — Rampart Village Council and Dinyea Corporation, Stevens Village: The Contrac- tor of the Year Award for Safety Performance recognizes an oil and gas support company that has demonstrated exemplary commitment to safety. For nearly 30 years, residents of Rampart and Ste - vens Village have partnered with Alyeska Pipeline Service Company through the Yukon River Village Responders Program, bringing deep local knowledge, safety leader -
ship and emergency response expertise to the protection of the Trans Alaska Pipeline System and the Yukon River. Since 1995, Village Responders have trained regularly with Alyeska in spill-response readiness, including vessel opera - tions, shallow-water navigation, boom deployment, river re - connaissance, hazard identification and emergency response. Their knowledge of seasonal ice, shifting river channels, subsistence areas and environmentally sensitive locations strengthens Alyeska’s response planning and preparedness. The one-of-a-kind partnership demonstrates how In - digenous knowledge and industrial capability reinforce one another to safeguard the lands, waters and people along the Yukon River. Rising Star Award — Madeline Woodard, Cono- coPhillips Alaska: The Rising Star Award honors a young professional in the oil and gas industry under the age of 35 who has made an immediate and definitive impact on the oil and gas industry in Alaska. Madeline Woodard has built a strong reputation as both a skilled engineer and emerging leader during more than a decade with ConocoPhillips Alaska. A lifelong Alaskan and mechanical engineering graduate of the Colorado School of Mines, she began her career in field-based roles supporting drilling operations across the North Slope, gaining hands- on experience in well planning, execution, and operations in some of Alaska’s most complex producing areas. In her current role as a completion engineer, Woodard leads the design and execution of completion and stimu - lation programs for complex reservoirs, helping advance CONTINUED on PAGE 31
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eration of North Slope development, combining advanced engineering and technology with environmental stew - ardship and community collaboration. As the first major development targeting the Nanushuk reservoir, Pikka incorporates a compact, single-pad design and an ul- tra-Extended Reach Drilling program that allows Santos to reach resources beneath and beyond sensitive areas while minimizing the project’s surface footprint. The project was designed for net-zero Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions on an equity-share basis from first oil, using measures including centralized power generation with waste heat recovery, electrified facilities, zero routine flaring and methane leak detection technology. Pikka also introduces North Slope innovations including ultra-filtra - tion and sulfate removal technology at its seawater treat - ment plant and a modular facility design that allowed most modules to be transported by truck, reducing the need for summer barging during the Nuiqsut whaling season. Community input also played an important role in the project’s design. Working with Nuiqsut residents and Kuukpik Corporation, Santos made modifications including relocating the drill site one mile farther from the Colville River, narrowing road widths, supporting a new com - munity boat launch and upgrading Nuiqsut’s wastewater treatment infrastructure.
technical performance and improve understanding of North Slope assets. Her work includes contributing to the design and execution of ConocoPhillips Alaska’s first permanently instrumented fiber optic well, helping to advance completion design practices and data-driven reservoir management. Woodard is a co-author of multiple Society of Petro - leum Engineers papers and an active mentor to early-ca- reer engineers and interns. As a co-leader of the Alaska Women’s Network within ConocoPhillips Alaska, she extends her leadership beyond technical work, helping develop and support the next generation of professionals in Alaska’s oil and gas industry. Project of the Year — Pikka Phase One, Santos: The Alaska Oil and Gas Project of the Year for Environmental Stewardship and Innovation Award honors an Alaska oil and gas industry project that demonstrates superior envi - ronmental stewardship in its area of design, construction or operation and/or an innovative approach that sets a new standard for industry design, construction or op - eration in Alaska. Santos operates Pikka with their joint venture partner Repsol SA. Santos’ Pikka Phase 1 Project represents a new gen -
Legislators agreed on most of pipeline bill Photo by Max Collingwood During The Alliance’s Anchorage Breakfast in September, Doug Fletcher, Vice President of Pipeline Construction for Glenfarne Alaska, provided an informative presentation and engaging conversation about the potential Alaska LNG pipeline, and the opportunities a project of this scale could create across our state. Thank you to Doug for sharing his expertise and perspective with Alliance members as Alaska continues to look toward the future of energy development, infrastructure and economic opportunity.
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North Slope natural gas through Alas - ka LNG is the only viable pathway to long-term energy security and low- cost energy supply for Alaskans.” Glenfarne, the state’s private part- ner in Alaska LNG, said in a statement: “We are disappointed the Legislature has stated they will not take final ac - tion on property tax legislation to fa - cilitate the development of the Alaska LNG pipeline. This will cause schedule delay and cost increases on the gas line. This outcome hinders our efforts to de - liver North Slope natural gas to Alas - kans as quickly and affordably as pos - sible and to offset declining production
ka LNG Project. If there’s any sil - ver lining, there is now an accepted framework to move forward if the S Corporation issue can be resolved. The CEO of the state’s Alaska Gas - line Development Corp. said it will press forward with the project despite the setback. “The Alaska LNG Project is the critical energy infrastructure project for underpinning Alaska’s economic future. AGDC has a statutory mandate to support development of the proj - ect and the recent lack of oil and gas property tax relief to support the eco - nomics of the project does not alter that mission,” AGDC President Frank Richards said. “Unlocking stranded
Silver lining: There is a framework for future progress Despite disappointment as to how things turned out, Legislators actually made a lot of progress on the gas pipe- line bill. It was derailed at the last min - ute over an unrelated section dealing with tax “pass-through” corporations. Although that was disappointing, lawmakers did come to broad agree - ment on a complicated bill, House Bill 381, which dealt mostly with abate - ment of property tax for the big Alas -
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ANWR COASTAL PLAIN, ALASKA
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and rising costs from Cook Inlet. “We are evaluating alternative paths forward while continuing to advance the commercial, engineering and financing work required to deliver the full Alaska LNG project, including the LNG export terminal. The funda - mental case for Alaska LNG remains strong: Alaska needs a long-term solution to its energy supply chal- lenge, the North Slope has one of the largest natural gas resources in the world, global customers continue to value secure Pacific LNG supply, and the project continues to have strong support from Alaskans and the federal government.” Here’s the background: There are large natural gas resources on the Slope stranded by lack of a way to get it to market, or to Alaska communi - ties. Alaskans and industry have been working on this for decades. There have been 15 major initiatives since 1970 to build a project to move the gas. The key problem this year was to relieve the project of much of burden of the state’s current 20-mill proper- ty tax, which has for years been iden - tified as a barrier to raising financing. Unlike oil projects, natural gas and liquefied gas projects are economi - cally marginal in their early years, so the annual property tax of 2% of the project matters. Tax abatements to help large in - dustrial projects are not new, and in Alaska most of the 15 plans to build a gas project have involved some form of tax changes, and one included a $500 million subsidy. Here are key points agreed to this year by the House and Senate: n The gas project would no lon - ger be subject to the state 20-mill property tax on oil and gas facilities. A new tax based on the volume of gas moved, the “Alternative Volumetric Tax,” or AVT, would be substituted. This would be a substantial reduction of the tax burden for the first 10 years. In 10 years, the AVT would be doubled. In 2060, it would be doubled again, under the latest plan. n The pipeline developer, Glen- farne, would make payments into
ALASKA INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT & EXPORT AUTHORITY
What it looks like to believe in Alaska’s future.
Photo by Max Collingwood Doug Fletcher has more than 30 years of experience leading complex energy and infrastructure projects around the world. He has held senior leadership roles across engineering, procurement and construction, with a track record of delivering large-scale projects safely, on schedule and within budget in some of the most challenging environments globally.
Alaska's North Slope has powered this state for 50 years. The next chapter starts on the Coastal Plain.
a state fund to help municipalities along the pipeline route deal with im - pacts of construction. The state would make grants to local governments to offset costs. n A new fund would be created to help Alaska communities not con - nected with the gas pipeline deal with high fuel oil costs. This would be paid from 20% of natural gas royalty in - come to the state. This kind of fund has long been sought by rural legis- lators. The state’s current Power Cost Equalization fund for rural communi- ties deals with electricity but not fuel oil for heating of homes. n A Project Labor Agreement would be included. The basic frame - work of this had been concluded. This will encourage maximum employ - ment of Alaska workers. n Alaska LNG will sell gas to utilities during a “phase one” (pipe - line only) for no more than $16 per thousand cubic feet, a level prices in Southcentral Alaska are expected to approach soon due to declining Cook Inlet gas reserves. If the full Alaska LNG project is built in its “phase two,” with a large LNG plant on the Kenai Peninsula and exports of liquefied gas, the price of gas to utilities would decline to about $5 per thousand cubic feet, according to estimates. n The Alaska LNG Project would facilitate a spur pipeline to get natural gas to Fairbanks. The cost of the spur would be “rolled into” the overall cost
of moving gas through the pipeline so Interior consumers do not pay the full cost of the spur line by themselves. A spur line is needed because the Alaska LNG pipeline route is west of the In - terior community. An important part of the proper- ty tax change is based on the amount of gas moving and not on an annual property value appraisal, which can vary and is unpredictable. This can become the source of disputes as has happened with Trans-Alaska Pipeline System tax valuations. The annual disputes between the state and TAPS oil pipeline owners are costly and have become a red flag for investors in an economically marginal project like Alaska LNG. The proposed alternative tax would remove the subjectivity of annual as - sessments by basing the tax on some - thing that is measured, the volumes of gas and LNG moving. While pas- sage of HB 381 would assist financing by removing the tax problem, it would not guarantee the project will be built. It would have given Glenfarne a chance to do it, however. This will now be left to the next governor and Legislature, and this likely means a year delay. The good news, however, is that key parts of the deal are agreed. Give legislators and Gov. Mike Dunleavy credit for that.
"Development is not theoretical for Kaktovik. It’s a pathway to self-determination and local jobs, and long-term stability." CHARLES LAMPE, KAKTOVIK IÑUPIAT CORPORATION BOARD MEMBER Resource assessments describe the Coastal Plain as one of the most prospective unexplored onshore regions in North America — between 5.7 billion and nearly 16 billion barrels of technically recoverable oil across 26 identified potential reservoirs. At projected development levels, that translates to roughly $2 billion annually in state revenue supporting Alaska's schools, hospitals, and Permanent Fund. In May 2026, AIDEA's board authorized up to $190 million for a comprehensive low-impact 3D seismic program, permitting, cultural and wildlife studies, and stakeholder engagement on its 365,775 acres of Coastal Plain leases. That's not a hedge. That's a statement about where Alaska's energy future is headed.
5.7B - 16B Barrels technically recoverable
345,413 Acres in AIDEA Coastal Plain leases
26 Large potential reservoirs identified
~$2B Potential annual state revenue
This is what it looks like to believe in Alaska’s future.
AIDEA
— Tim Bradner
aidea.org
Advancing Alaska's economy, workforce, and communities
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