Published Jun 27, 2024 by Yereth Rosen

Hilcorp specializes in revitalizing aged oil and gas assets, and it has been notably successful at some Alaska fields. At Milne Point, it has nearly tripled production from 18,400 barrels per day when it took over operations to about 50,000 barrels per day now.

Part of the success at Milne Point is attributed to new technology for what’s known as “polymer flooding” used in partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy and experts from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Hilcorp in 2018 began injecting specialized polymer chemical compounds into the oil reservoir to increase production of heavy oil; it was the North Slope’s first successful use of polymer flooding for enhanced recovery.

Lalicker and Luke Saguier, Hilcorp’s senior vice president for Alaska, said they hope to extend the company’s success at Milne Point to the fields being acquired from Eni.

Published Jun 27, 2024 by Pam Dunklebarger

In Alaska, no community requires testing for radon or has codes or regulations for mitigation systems built before residency — although it is not a bad idea and fairly low-cost to put a system in as a backup in many parts of the state. There is also no Alaska community requiring testing during home inspections for house sales, yet it is a good idea and very low-cost when considering the price of the entire home.

I mentioned that testing should be done after the home has been built and lived in for a bit. This is because the occupants may have behaviors that affect the radon concentrations in the home. A newly built home hopefully has no breaches in the foundation through which radon gas in the soil can seep, but it can happen, and thus, it is good to test during the first winter that the home is lived in.

Why winter? Chances are that the home doors, windows and passive vents to the outside are closed, and thus, the radon concentration is probably more built up than in summer. Residents also tend to stay indoors more in winter and would likely be more exposed to concentrated radon.

So, when building a home in the summer, setting up radon mitigation systems can be something to think about, not just in winter when most testing happens!

Published Jun 26, 2024 by Brooke Carney

Alaska Sea Grant is pleased to announce its fourth cohort of Alaska Sea Grant Community-Engaged Fellows. Five undergraduate students are working on projects across the state this summer that connect science to coastal communities using approaches that involve the community.

Last week, the fellows gathered for a two-day retreat in Anchorage, which consisted of professional development and team building. They heard from former Alaska Sea Grant fellows on career pathways and enjoyed exploring nature via raft, mountain bike, and foot. They also heard from University of Alaska Anchorage professor Amy Bishop on her research addressing food security for rural coastal Alaska communities, as well as a presentation and discussion on considerations for community engagement.

The Alaska Sea Grant Community-Engaged Fellowship for undergraduate students is part of a national program coordinated by the Sea Grant network. The program focuses on increasing representation in the coastal sciences and prioritizes community involvement as a core component of science-based work. The program also prioritizes mentorship, cohort building, and developing professional skills. Fellows are provided with a stipend.