Point of Personal Privilege: On this Memorial Day I honor the memory of Dad (Col. Dave Harbour) and Mom (Bobbie) who were married in Honolulu a few days after the Japanese attack in 1941…and fellow veterans and supportive families, past and present, who defended America's constitutional principles through the country's majestic history of freedom and prosperity.  -dh

Russian Company Involvement In Alaska Gas Pipeline Project?

(Refer to our 2-14-13 related posting.)

One of our Pacific Rim readers writes over the weekend, "that Rosneft was granted by Exxon to come into Point Thomson (and hence the North Slope LNG project).

"Over recent days the Majors have been lining up to affirm their ongoing interest in investing in Russia with the likes of Rosneft, notwithstanding the sanctions imposed upon Rosneft's CEO, Igor Sechin, personally.

"The State of Alaska will become part of the current Ukrainian dispute with Russia if Rosneft exercises its option over Point Thomson, as the State law states:

11 AAC 82.605. Assignments 

(a) Leases, oil and gas exploration licenses, permits, or interests in leases, oil and gas exploration licenses, or permits, may, with the approval of the commissioner, be assigned or subleased as provided in this section to a person or persons qualified to hold a lease. 

"The Commissioner will therefore have to determine if Rosneft is a party that is “qualified” under Alaskan law to hold a lease!"

This reader, who is attracted by the State's opportunities, and searches for Alaskan investments, says, "I’ll continue to watch with interest from afar."

Please remember that, above all, we seek accuracy and are responsible for the reliability of our hundreds of thousands of pages of archives.  We would encourage readers with additions/corrections — or a different take on the ROSNEFT investment — to comment either confidentially (as this reader requested), or on the record.   -dh