By SUZANNE DOWNING
APA, the parent company of Apache, is expected to formally join the Alaska Oil and Gas Association this week, pending a board vote during AOGA’s annual Juneau fly-in and board meeting, according to industry sources.
The move comes as some lawmakers push proposals to raise oil taxes, a backdrop that has renewed focus on the need for a unified pro-business voice in the Capitol.
AOGA represents Alaska’s major producers, explorers, and pipeline companies and serves as the primary industry organization weighing in on fiscal policy, investment stability, and long-term production outlooks.
Oil and gas remains the backbone of Alaska’s revenue base and its largest private-sector employer. AOGA’s stated role is to ensure that any tax discussions protect investment, jobs, and long-term throughput in the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS), which is critical to the state’s economy and fiscal health.
APA’s expected entry into AOGA reflects growing confidence in Alaska’s resource potential and recognition that fiscal stability is a key factor in sustaining investment. According to reporting by Alaska Beacon, oil and gas is projected to be the state’s leading sector for job growth by percentage, with approximately 1,000 new jobs expected this year—an 11.1% increase over 2025 employment levels in the sector. Those gains are tied to expanded activity and new development across Alaska’s oil fields.
The timing is also notable given forecasts of an increase in TAPS throughput. The US Energy Information Administration has projected that Alaska oil production in 2026 could rise sharply due to new wells and extended-reach drilling associated with major North Slope projects. Industry analysts say this would mark the strongest annual increase since the 1980s and a significant break from the long-term decline that has steadily reduced pipeline volumes for decades, with daily output projected to approach 540,000 barrels per day.
AOGA leaders and member companies have argued that a unified industry message helps policymakers focus on outcomes rather than volatility, predictable state revenue, continued production, and keeping Alaska competitive for new development for generations to come.
APA Corporation is a publicly traded independent exploration and production company headquartered in Houston, Texas, with operations in the United States, the United Kingdom, Egypt, and other global basins. In Alaska, APA holds a significant working interest on the North Slope on state lands, including a 50% stake in the Lagniappe exploratory block. The Sockeye-2 well in that area recently flowed approximately 2,700 barrels per day in initial testing, demonstrating strong reservoir potential and anchoring the company’s expanding footprint on the slope.
The Alaska Story reported last week that APA has been pulling back investment in the North Sea, citing increased taxation and fiscal uncertainty overseas. Against that backdrop, APA’s expected decision to join AOGA may show the contrast between Alaska’s current investment environment and higher-tax regimes elsewhere, and the risk legislators face if they ratchet up taxes.
