Providing coverage of Alaska and northern Canada's oil and gas industry ANS charts steady course Steve Sutherlin Petroleum News Alaska North Slope crude slid 23 cents Jan. 27 to close at $55.53 per barrel. West Texas Intermediate rose 24 cents to close at $52.85, and Brent lost 10 cents to close at $55.81. The major indexes remained steady, closing near the prices seen a week prior, despite fears early in the week about new COVID-19 breakouts in China, and reports that the Chinese government is dissuading its citizens from traveling over the Lunar New Year holiday which is traditionally a high travel period. The traditional festivities last over 15 days, and most Chinese people will get seven days off from work from Feb. 11 to Feb. 17.