Monthly Pre-Filing Status Report No. 01

The first project progress report to FERC is out (LINK).

Stakeholder engagement, studies, field work, pre-design all "tracking".

It looks and feels like 2005/2006 all over again.  So many hurdles yet to go.

Metrics of success I'm looking for:

1) Announcement of customer commitment to buy product
2) Announcement of customer equity participation in project
3) Ordering pipe.

Almost There

After years of nattering nonsense we are starting to hear the right kind of stories about the Alaska Gasline project - stories about customers. All those cliches about "the customer is always right" are true.   LNG is not a commodity (yet) so Alaska must have a long term buyer lined up and participating in the LNG project.

The good news includes a piece in the Alaska Dispatch by Amada Coyne. Apparently a Japanese group called Resources Energy Inc is in Alaska with boots on the ground exploring a gas project.

The next bit of good news comes from the Asia Pacific Energy Research Centre LNG Producer - Consumer Conference recently held in Tokyo.  All of the presentation slides are worth reading, but its great to see Alaska Department of Resources Commissioner Dan Sullivan making the case for Alaska gas to a group of buyers (Dan's Slides).

A smart LNG buyer would negotiate to buy Alaskan gas at a tidewater and be a major equity partner in an LNG facility.  The good news is that there are some smart buyers out there and the stars may start aligning soon.

More Cowbell - Thanks Lisa

The Alaska Gas Pipeline project has a fever and the only cure is more cowbell.  This week Senator Lisa Murkowski earned the coveted Alaska Gas Pipeline Blog three cowbell award for her efforts to push the project to potential Asian LNG buyers (LINK), and quote:

Murkowski discussed Alaska’s resource base and proximity to Asia with Ambassador Ichiro Fujisaki of Japan and Ambassador Choi Young-jin of South Korea. Murkowski said the ambassadors showed interest in the potential for an Alaska natural gas pipeline and liquefied natural gas project to deliver affordable energy to Asia.

Good job Lisa, that gas ain't gonna sell it's self. Governor Parnell and Senator Begich, don't despair, there's more awards out there.