LNG Industry.  The Alaskan Legislature has passed Senate Bill 138, a bill that will advance the Alaska natural gas pipeline Sean Parnell, LNG, gas pipeline, AGIA, Photo by Dave Harbourand LNG project.

With the passage of this legislation, Governor Sean Parnell’s (NGP Photo) bill to advance a large-diameter Alaska natural gas pipeline project, Alaska is poised to become an owner in the Alaska LNG Project.

Historic moment

Parnell commented: “This is truly a historic moment for Alaskans. By passing Senate Bill 138, the Legislature has put Alaska on a path to controlling her own destiny by becoming an owner in the Alaska LNG Project…."

Mark Begich, Senator, Shell, Judge Beistline, Lease Sale 193, Photo by Dave HarbourPress Secretary Heather Handyside reports today that U.S. Senator Mark Begich (NGP Photo) welcomed today’s order by a federal judge in the latest lawsuit over Shell Oil Company’s plans to develop oil and gas in Alaska’s Arctic waters which sets in place a process for resumption of that development.

U.S. Federal District Court Judge Ralph Beistline today entered his order on the Lease Sale 193 case, agreeing with the federal government and Shell that the Department of Interior can proceed to review and process Exploration Plans. The order clears the way for next summer’s development of an estimated 15 billion barrels of oil and 77 trillion cubic feet of natural gas projected to lie beneath Alaska’s shallow Arctic waters.

“This is good news for Alaskans and for our state’s economy because it ends the temporary shutdown of Shell’s development plans and should lead to resumption of oil and gas development in our state’s promising offshore,” Begich said.