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ANCHORAGE - ConocoPhillips has pledged $15 million to the University of Alaska Anchorage for a new science center.

The donation to be spread out over the next five years is the largest that Conoco has given Alaska, and the largest corporate donation the university has received. It is three times as large as the Conoco donation made to Providence Alaska Medical Center in January for a cancer center.

Conoco Phillips Alaska President Jim Bowles said the recent high prices of oil did not influence the unusually large donation.

"That's one reason we are structuring these out over time," he said, standing before the Conoco Phillips Integrated Science Building on Wednesday. "We're not looking at the $100 oil that's driving this. Really, these are some good opportunities to give back to the community."

The 128,000-square-foot, $93 million science building named after the oil company is scheduled for completion in fall 2009.

The gifts follow from a 1999 agreement with the state that the company must share in the proceeds from oil with charitable organizations.

BP also is required to follow the same rules. The rules require that at least 30 percent of the giving go to the University of Alaska Foundation.

The companies must give away a certain percentage of their previous year's revenue. The amount is a value equal to 0.2 percent of its Alaska production multiplied by oil prices.

In 2006 and 2007 combined, amid rising oil prices, Conoco was obligated to give away about $25 million. It exceeded its obligation by about $100,000, said spokeswoman Natalie Lowman.

This year, the company is expected to give away about $13 million based on its 2007 Alaska oil production, which earned Conoco $2.3 billion in profits, according to its filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

In 2007, BP was obligated to give away about $11 million but gave over that by $500,000, according to spokesman Steve Rinehart. Some of the company's recent contributions have been $840,000 to the Mountain View library, and $2 million to Providence hospital.

The latest Conoco pledge gives $4 million for science equipment and $11 million for an endowment to be called the Conoco Phillips Arctic Science and Engineering Endowment. The $4 million will be paid out over two years. The $11 million is to be paid out over five.

UAA is the state's largest university, with 15,000 students.