The U.S. Department of Energy is soliciting for another round of research into methane hydrates, the potentially huge energy source of “frozen gas” that could step in for shortages of other fossil fuels. The department is looking for research projects on the North Slope of Alaska that could explore how to economically extract the gas […]
Noting Tech Needs, Mining Companies Seek Graphite
Tear apart an electric car’s rechargeable battery and you’ll find a mineral normally associated with No. 2 pencils. It’s graphite. And experts say the promise of expanded uses for “pencil lead” in lithium-ion batteries — used in cars, cellphones and tablet computers — as well as a decrease in supply from China has helped touch […]
Alaska, DOE Agree to Study Unconventional Energy
The U.S. Department of Energy and the state of Alaska will collaborate on future research of unconventional energy resources in the Arctic, including abundant reservoirs of methane hydrate. The DOE’s acting assistant secretary for fossil energy, Christopher Smith, and Alaska Department of Natural Resources Commissioner Dan Sullivan announced the agreement Tuesday and spoke to reporters […]
Shell Drill Ship Runs Aground on Island Off Alaska
Royal Dutch Shell PLC’s foray into Arctic offshore drilling has suffered a serious setback after one of its two Alaska drilling rigs ran aground in shallow water off a small island. See the photos here. Officials at a unified command center run by the Coast Guard, Shell, state responders, and others said the Kulluk grounded […]