by Jack Roderick (Author), Don Graydon (Editor)
In February 1968, the rumors became reality: An ARCO drilling rig has struck oil -- lots of oil -- on Alaska's remote North Slope. Jack Roderick's story of oil and politics in Alaska reads like a novel as he tells of the risky, expensive, and mostly frustrating search for oil across the 49th state. Oil companies watch one another jealously. Small independents and the new state struggle to share in the action dominated by huge multi-national oil companies. Gov. Bill Egan, the shy grocer from Valdez, stands up to the industry, seeking the largest possible share of oil revenues for Alaskans.
Back Jacket
In February 1968, the rumors became a reality: An ARCO rig has struck oil - lots of oil - on a wind-swept Arctic plain at a place called Prudhoe Bay on Alaska's remote North Slope. It is a watershed event for a young state. Jack Roderick's story of oil and politics in Alaska reads like a novel. He tells of the risky, expensive, and mostly frustrating search for oil across the Northland as oil companies watch one another jealously and often resort to spying...of the infighting and political turmoil in which small independents and the new state struggle to share in the action dominated by huge multi-national oil companies...of Bill Eagan, the shy grocer from Valdez who stands up to the industry seeking the largest possible share of oil revenues for Alaskans...and of the many remarkable men and women who pioneered oil development in Alaska's last frontier.