Gov. Bill Walker appointed former Anchorage Democratic state senator Hollis French to the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission Wednesday, making the three-person commission whole again for the first time in more than a year.
French, who served in the state Senate for 12 years until 2014, will take the public seat on the commission. The other two seats, held by Dan Seamount and commission Chair Cathy Foerster, are by statute reserved for individuals with extensive experience in oil and gas engineering and geology.
“I am pleased to appoint Hollis French to the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission. AOGCC plays an integral role in the state’s natural resource development efforts, and Hollis’ experience in Alaska’s oil and gas industry will make him a valuable addition to the commission,” Walker said in a release from his office.
French’s oilfield experience dates back to 1978 when he began working for Shell on Cook Inlet’s offshore platforms. From there, his career with Shell moved to the North Slope where he became a production operator and later a lead operator with ARCO until he left oil to study law in 1992, according to the governor’s office.
The highly technical commission is tasked with preventing waste of the state’s hydrocarbon resources, evaluating drilling operations, maintaining production and well records and ruling on disputes between resource owners.
Walker’s original appointment to the public AOGCC seat, Mike Gallagher, was rejected by the Legislature in April 2015. The seat has been vacant since. Walker had appointed Gallagher to replace Parnell’s appointment Dave Mayberry, who had not yet been confirmed by the Legislature.
French was once Lt. Gov. Byron Mallott’s running mate in the 2014 gubernatorial election. He stepped aside to allow Mallott, who took the lieutenant governor position, and Walker to join campaign forces against incumbent Parnell.
He will begin serving on the commission July 25.
• Elwood Brehmer is a reporter for the Alaska Journal of Commerce. He can be reached at elwood.brehmer@alaskajournal.com.
