8-25-16 Alaska's LNG Project Is Not Currently Feasible

8-25-16 Alaska’s LNG Project Is Not Currently Feasible

Commentary for our readers: This is not the time to mortgage our state to one man’s infeasible Pipe Dream!

Yesterday, we addressed the World Trade Center – Anchorage on the subject of “Alaska’s Pipe Dreams”. Tomorrow we will provide readers with our notes and research for that presentation, along with many links. Our audience yesterday learned why the evidence demonstrates that, NOW IS NOT THE TIME FOR ALASKA LNG. Citizens are facing economic disaster if they support the current governor’s Pipe Dream of an unproven, uneconomic nationalized LNG project run by TEMPORARILY ELECTED AND APPOINTED POLITICIANS AND BUREAUCRATS. This is America, the land of free enterprise, not government enterprise. This is Alaska, the land of pioneers, not the land of bureaucrats, not the greatest welfare state in America. Or, at least, these are the concepts that have attracted most Alaskans — including this writer — to love the 49th State. -dh

From our friends at Ak-Headlamp:

Bill Wielechowski - Copyright 2010 Dave Harbour -CU-L- 9-21-22

Senator Bill Wielechowski, Alaska State Senate. NGP File Photo by Dave Harbour

Dose of reality from Wood Mackenzie. AKLNG, as currently envisioned, is not competitive and likely cannot succeed in the current market. That’s the conclusion of a new report from outside consulting firm Wood Mackenzie. Wood Mackenzie’s David Barrowman told lawmakers yesterday that his firm compared the project with other liquefied natural gas projects around the world, and found that it’s simply too expensive.One option is bringing in outside investors to fund the gas line, instead of the current partners funding it themselves. Another path is full state ownership, which might lower federal taxes.

Barrowman said the picture isn’t entirely gloomy for Alaska. Buyers don’t just purchase based on cost. If I’m a purchaser, he said, “I don’t want to be buying from a country that may turn into a conflict zone fairly quickly.” “I was expecting doom and gloom, and I’m actually feeling a little optimistic at this point,” said Sen. Bill Wielechowski.

About the Author: wpnorthern

Dave Harbour, publisher of Northern Gas Pipelines, is a former Chairman of the Regulatory Commission of Alaska, a Commissioner Emeritus of NARUC, NARUC's Official Representative to IOGCC and Vice Chairman of NARUC's Gas Committee. He served as Gas Committee Chairman of the Western Conference of Public Service Commissioners. He also served as commissioner of the Anchorage Bicentennial Commission and the Anchorage Heritage Land Bank Commission. He earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree: English, at Colorado State University, a Master of Science Degree: Communications-Journalism at Murray State University and graduated from Utility Regulatory School for Commissioners at Michigan State University. He served as a Vice President for Communications and Public Affairs at Alaska Pacific University, taught bank marketing classes at the University of Alaska and was an English teacher at Los Alamos High School. Harbour served in ranks of Private - Captain during a 4-year assignment with the Army in Korea, Idaho, Georgia and Fort Meade and received the Meritorious Service Medal among other commendations. Harbour is also a past Chairman of the Alaska Council on Economic Education, the Alaska Oil & Gas Association Government Affairs Committee, the Anchorage Chamber of Commerce, the Export Council of Alaska and the Department of Commerce's District Export Council. He is a past President of the Alaska Press Club, American Bald Eagle Foundation, Consumer Energy Alliance-Alaska and Common Sense for Alaska. Harbour was instrumental in founding the American Bald Eagle Research Institute (UAS), the Alaska Support Industry Alliance, the Downtown Anchorage Business Partnership, and Arctic Power. He also served as CEO of several small Alaska organizations, including the Anchorage Parking Authority and Action Security, Inc. Harbour is also Chairman Emeritus of the Alaska Oil & Gas Congress. Harbour's wife, Nancy, is a professional, performing arts administrator and his three boys, Todd, Benjamin and William work in the fields of environmental management, energy marketing and medicine.