Historic ventures.

• Author: Harrington, Susan
• Position: FROM THE EDITOR

This is another busy month from start to finish. The tenth annual Alaska Oil and Gas Congress, held at the Anchorage Marriott Downtown the third week of September by Ontario-based Canadian Institute, has probably been in the works since before the ninth annual event wrapped up last year. International speakers will join industry and government leaders from Alaska and other areas of the United States to present an open forum on a variety of topics related to developing oil and gas and other natural resources in Alaska. It is not to be missed. Much of the agenda this year has a focus on the future.

Another agenda with a focus on the future is the recently formed Arctic Inupiat Offshore, LLC (AIO), a seven company venture made up of one regional and six village corporations-all organized under ANCSA, or the 1971 Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act-Arctic Slope Regional Corporation (Arctic Slope region), Ukpeagvik Inupiat Corporation (Barrow), Tikigaq Corporation (Point Hope), Olgoonik Corporation (Wainwright), Atqasuk Corporation (Atqasuk), Kaktovik Inupiat Corporation (Kaktovik), and Nunamiut Corporation (Anaktuvuk Pass). These companies are focused on the future.

On July 31, AIO signed a binding agreement with Royal Dutch Shell subsidiary Shell Gulf of Mexico, Inc. The agreement gives AIO options with Shell's Chukchi Sea leases and activities; specifically, the new company can acquire an interest in Shell's Chukchi...