Difference between revisions of "Alaska"

Revision as of 00:40, August 20, 2009

Alaska

Capital	Juneau
Nickname	The Last Frontier
Official Language	English
Governor	Sean Parnell, R
Senator	Lisa Murkowski, R (202) 224-6665 Contact
Senator	Mark Begich, D (202) 224-3004 Contact
Ratification of Constitution/or statehood	January 3, 1959
	Motto: North to the Future

Alaska became the forty-ninth state to enter into the United States of America in 1959. Alaska is not contiguous to the rest of the United States, bordering Canada's Yukon Territory and province of British Columbia to the east. Its capital is Juneau.

Alaska's territory was purchased from Russia in 1867 by the Johnson administration for 7.2 million USD; its vast oil and gold reserves have more than repaid the investment that was once ridiculed as "Seward's Folly.", after William H. Seward who was the Secretary of State that negotiated the purchase.

Although it is the largest state by area, it is the third smallest state by population (larger than only Wyoming and Vermont).

Elected Officials

Federal

• Senator Lisa Murkowski (R)
• Senator Mark Begich (D)
• Rep. Don Young (R)

Statewide

• Governor Sean Parnell (R)
• Lt. Governor Craig Campbell (R)

Energy

Alaska has vast energy resources but low energy demand. Major oil and gas reserves are found in the Alaska North Slope (ANS) and Cook Inlet basins. The Alaska North Slope contains 14 of the 100 largest oil fields in the United States, and two of the largest natural gas fields. The North Slope’s Prudhoe Bay field is the largest oil field in the country. Substantial coal deposits are found in Alaska’s bituminous, sub-bituminous, and lignite coal basins. Alaska’s numerous rivers offer some of the highest hydroelectric power potential in the country, and large swaths of the Alaskan coastline offer wind and geothermal energy potential. The oil and gas industry dominates the Alaskan economy, and production activities drive state energy demand. Nevertheless, overall state energy demand is low.^[1]

Alaska is the second-ranked oil-producing State (after Texas), if output from the Federal Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) is excluded from the State totals. Nearly all of Alaska’s oil production takes place on the North Slope. The Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) transports crude oil from the frozen North Slope to the warm-water Port of Valdez, on Alaska’s southern coast. From Valdez, tankers ship the ANS crude oil primarily to refineries in California and Washington State. Those refineries are designed to process the intermediate, sour (high-sulfur) crude oil from the ANS. Alaskan crude oil production has been in decline since 1988, when output peaked at over 2 million barrels per day. However, experts believe that large oil and gas reserves in the State remain untapped, and some have called for the Federal government to open more public lands, including the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, for oil exploration and drilling.

Demand for finished petroleum products in Alaska is low. Although Alaska has six refineries, most of them are “topping” plants that strip away lighter products from the TAPS heavy crude oil stream for internal refinery use. State motor gasoline demand is primarily met by refineries in Kenai and near Fairbanks. The use of oxygenated motor gasoline is required in the Fairbanks and Anchorage areas during their winter months. Jet fuel consumption in Alaska is high compared to other States.

Due to harsh weather conditions that persist throughout most of the year, Alaska’s oil infrastructure is particularly vulnerable to weather-related accidents and disruptions. The worst accident occurred in March 1989, when the tank vessel "Exxon Valdez" struck Bligh Reef and spilled 260 thousand barrels of oil into the Prince William Sound.

Notable People from Alaska

• Sarah Palin, former governor, GOP vice presidential nominee 2008, conservative leader
• Carlos Boozer (Utah Jazz basketball player)
• Jewel
• Valerie Plame

State Motto

“North to the Future” The motto was chosen in 1967 during the Alaska Purchase centennial and was created by Juneau newsman Richard Peter. The motto is meant to represent Alaska as a land of promise.

External Links

• Live image from Fairbanks, Alaska
• State of Alaska Home page
• State of Alaska Travel and Vacation Information

references

1. ↑ See Energy Information Administration, State Report 2009