"Looks to me that Briscoe is pretty much an opportinist."
No, he shifted focus to Arizona, first to have work for the company when the weather did not permit it in Alaska, then because NAK had problems with the environmental community. There was no sense advancing Big Chuck, if progress could not made at Pebble. Everything else is just background noise.
If you want to blame anyone for what happened to you, blame the environmentalists. LBSU was their real victim, but you have been afforded an opportunity to be made whole, if not better. Up to you.
VP in AZ