Alaska’s upstream oil industry is expecting to see a surge in exploration and development in 2019 as companies drill to delineate new North Slope and National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska discoveries. But some are concerned that high-profile federal initiatives, like exploration in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and the opening of prospective parts of NPR-A, could get bogged down by increased opposition as Democrats gain a majority in the US House of Representatives, slowing production growth down the road. Alaska oil production is expected to increase in 2019 and 2020 thanks to new North Slope oil discoveries being brought online. North Slope production is projected to average 529,800 b/d in 2019 and 533,000 b/d in 2020, up from 505,184 b/d from January through October 2018, according to the most recent state Department of Revenue production and […]