Alaska’s state government proposed that a new study of potential crude oil resources beneath the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge’s coastal plain be conducted before the Obama administration decides whether to designate more of the refuge as wilderness and wild and scenic rivers.

Abundant, affordable US natural gas supplies resulted in 97 announced chemical and plastics projects totaling $71.7 billion in potential new investment, the American Chemical Council said in a recent report.

Kuwait’s state-owned oil, gas, petrochemical, and services industries have new leaders.

Chesapeake Energy Corp. has named Robert Douglas Lawler as chief executive officer and a member of the board, effective June 17.

The front-month natural gas contract rallied May 17 in New York, reclaiming most of its loss from the previous session, after the Department of Energy authorized Freeport LNG Development LP to export 1.4 bcfd of LNG to countries that do not have free trade agreements with the US (OGJ Online, May 17, 2013).