—Rex Rock Sr., President and CEO, ASRC
AIO Consortium
In addition to her role at ASRC, Imm is also general manager of Arctic Inupiat Offshore (AIO), a consortium made up of ASRC and six village corporations: Ukpeaġvik In˜upiat Corporation (Barrow); Tikigaq Corporation (Point Hope); Olgoonik Corporation (Wainwright); Kaktovik Inupiat Corporation (Kaktovik); Atqasuk Corporation (Atqasuk); and Nunamiut Corporation (Anaktuvuk Pass). Through AIO, the corporations acquired an interest in Shell’s activities in the Chukchi Sea. Now, however, they’re using their experience to help other companies succeed on the North Slope, which they hope will again translate into jobs and benefits for shareholders. “With AIO we were acutely looking at a structure that would work together collectively with the village corporations and ASRC,” Imm says. The corporations’ many subsidiaries have extensive experience with Arctic construction, oil and gas support, pipelines, and aiding scientific fieldwork. ASRC is the largest Alaska-owned corporation, while Ukpeaġvik is one of the most successful village corporations. It is a major employer in Barrow, where it operates a hotel and oversees construction and engineering companies, as well as several joint ventures. Imm notes that while Shell gave up all but one of its leases in the Chukchi, they still have leases in the Beaufort, as do other companies. Work is also continuing on the Liberty project operated by Hilcorp Alaska, located six miles offshore east of Prudhoe Bay. “There are some leases that are still active,” Imm says. AIO has made it clear it plans to stay active, says Rex Rock Sr., ASRC president and CEO. The organization has been trying to educate the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) and other federal entities about the importance of offshore development. “We’re going to pursue OCS development,” he says. “We are working with companies that are willing to work out there. We want to work forward. OCS will continue to provide opportunities.” AIO is evaluating potential investments in offshore projects, Imm says. “We are actively moving forward and looking for opportunities,” she says. “We are continuing to engage on the regulatory side. We need a reasonable regulatory regime to be able to operate in, either as our own entity or with others.” The consortium is keeping a close eye on www.akbizmag.com
changes BOEM made to air quality regulations for drilling in the Arctic Outer Continental Shelf. “A lot of the burden that those Arctic regulations place is on the exploration companies,” Imm says. “We are trying to be engaged on the process so we can ensure that the regulations don’t become too cumbersome on OCS.”
New Opportunities
Climate change brings opportunities, as well. The North Slope is on the front lines of global warming, and scientists are keenly interested in tracking the changes. In 1992, Ukpeaġvik founded the Barrow Environmental Observatory, a 7,466-acre area of tundra, lakes, and wetlands set aside for scientific research.
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WE’ VE GOT YOU COVERED ON THE NORTH SLOPE AND BEYOND
F a i r w e a t h e r, L L C | A n c h o r a g e , A l a s k a | w w w. f a i r w e a t h e r. c o m
October 2016 | Alaska Business Monthly
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ARCTIC OIL & GAS SPECIAL SECTION
“We’re going to pursue OCS development. We are working with companies that are willing to work out there. We want to work forward. OCS will continue to provide opportunities.”