What happens when the trans-Alaska pipeline shuts down? And who pays to remove it?

This episode delves into a secret corner of Alaska's oil and gas industry — an obscure, complicated but important realm where there are billions of dollars at stake. Our two guests have written a newly published paper for the Alaska Law Review that examines the future of the trans-Alaska pipeline — what happens when it's ready to be decommissioned, who's going to pay, and how the state could work to make sure it's not left holding the bag.

Catherine Rocchi is regulatory lead at the Alaska Public Interest Research Group, a watchdog organization that includes the oil and gas industry in its portfolio. Phil Wight is an energy historian and an assistant professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

What is Northern Journal?

Alaska is defined by its environment and its natural resources — the fish in its rivers, the oil and minerals buried underground. The Northern Journal podcast digs into those subjects, with interviews with those who know them best.