We added a new Sub-Tab, above, under ‘Archives’ for "Northern Gas Pipeline History".    It provides historical perspective from the Canadian Broadcast Corporation, the Alaska Gas Pipeline Federal Coordinator’s office and from our own magazine and newspaper articles.  -dh


Breaking story….
Marathon PetroleumApril 9 (Reuters) – Marathon Oil Corp said on Monday it agreed to sell its natural gas production, pipeline and storage assets in Alaska to privately held exploration and production company Hilcorp.  The sale includes 12.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas in storage as of the end of 2011, and net proved reserves equivalent to 17 million barrels of oil across 10 fields in the Cook Inlet. The sale price was not disclosed.  Last year’s net daily production from the assets averaged 93 million cubic feet of gas and 112 barrels of oil, Marathon said.  The deal, expected to close by fall of this year, does not include Marathon’s Alaska onshore drilling rig, which is being marketed separately.  Hilcorp Energy Co’s Alaska unit is run by John Barnes, an ex-Marathon manager in Alaska who joined Hilcorp to lead its expansion into the state with its purchase of Chevron Corp’s Cook Inlet interests last year.  (See NASDAQ story here.)
 

Personal Commentary on More Support for TAPS! 

Alaska Export Council Chairman, Tony Follett, this week released a resolution urging the federal and state governments to support Alaska’s growing export market.  Support for exports could be achieved by improving Alaska’s investment climate.  Improving the investment climate would sustain throughput of the Trans Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS).  Here is a copy of the resolution for our readers.  

We have observed over the years, significant support for Alaska exports (i.e. American Exports), as exporting provides local jobs, income, overall economic health, income for various levels of government and an atmosphere of hope for Alaska’s younger generation.  Exporting improves the national balance of payments deficit and imports capital to Alaska and its export producers.  We have also observed no significant opposition to exporting.  

The implication of this resolution is that if the state and federal governments do not improve Alaska’s investment climate sufficient to sustain TAPS throughput, they throw Alaskan exports into jeopardy along with the rest of the economy.  For the federal government to improve the investment climate, it must improve its leasing and permitting and regulatory policies affecting the 49th state’s federal lands.  For the state government to improve the investment climate, it must make its tax and regulatory policies affecting state lands, more attractive and competitive.

 The federal government needs to change its biased application of ANILCA, Endangered Species Act, Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act policies in Alaska, along with policies affecting ANWR, NPR-A and the OCS, at a minimum.  

Alaska needs to repeal or significantly revamp its predatory petroleum production tax, at a minimum.  

Absent such leadership, initiative and action, Alaska’s children should start looking elsewhere for an economy that offers a lifetime of reasonable job and lifestyle security — unless they wish to have federal government jobs or a job with one of the over three dozen national and international environmental groups that have colonized Alaska in recent years.  -dh  (Please note that your author is a member of {but not a spokesman for}  the Alaska Export Council along with other state and national public interest, non profit corporations.)