Governor Walker responds to HB132

HB 132 seeks to constrain the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation (AGDC) and prevent them from any planning activities related to expanding the size and scope of the Alaska Stand Alone Pipeline (ASAP).



Governor Walker responds to HB132 from Alaska Governor Bill Walker on Vimeo.

Gov. Walker makes good points and  and defends his objective to develop the big gasline project (AKLNG) and work in parallel to make the ASAP option economically viable.

Watch this press conference video - I was real happy to hear the Governor mention competition, the marketplace and potential customers.  This guy understands the trade offs and risk.  He also understands that the neighbors next door are poised to win the LNG race.

Speaking of Canada, they recently came up with a brilliant way to boost the economics of LNG projects. (Globe and Mail Link).  The Canadian approach is to allow LNG projects to depreciate the projects more quickly.  We 'Mericans could benefit from this idea and I don't know why Alaskan politicians aren't taking the hint.  Accelerated depreciation is absolutely the best idea I've heard yet. The idea mitigates the financial risk of spending tens of billions of dollars on a mega project.  I don't agree with the term tax break - it's more of a way of shifting the time the taxes are collected.

Redefining the timing of tax collection is the best idea ever because the government won't collect any taxes from un-built projects.  I hope Senators Lisa Murkowski, Dan Sullivan, Representative Don Young, and Governor Walker warm up to this idea and take note of what Canada has done - it's truly a project enabling action that is 100% in the hands of the politicians. Aside from Gov. Walker exactly what are the rest of Alaska's politicians doing to more the project forward?

Project Data Filed with FERC

Lots of AK-LNG project filings:

(FERC FILINGS)

Project Legislative Briefing

Project Description (public version)

ALASKA LNG FERC FILINGS

Signs of life for the Alaska LNG Project?

New Files: Request to Commence Pre-Filing Process - Alaska LNG Project by ConocoPhillips, BP, ExxonMobil, etal 

Milestone schedule:

 

Find more at the FERC ELibrary  website (LINK)

Use the "General Search" option and Docket number PF 14-21

Project Docket : PF14-21-000

Another filing (LNG Export application) is located at http://energy.gov/fe/downloads/alaska-lng-project-llc-14-96-lng

AGIA TERMINATION / SKIN IN THE GAME

 Ding Dong AGIA is dead. Any predictions on the degree of State participation?  I'm guessing an eighth or more.  An eighth would equal $7.5 billion which should be a manageable figure for the state.

Why this is Good:

1. AGIA may have worked in a shale gas free world,but it was absolutely doomed after shale gas gathered momentum in the lower 48.

2. State participation gives the project better financing  options and terms.

3.  Alignment - State interest are better served as partners.

4.  Revenue - as an investor the State stands to receive a return on the investment.

5. Agreements are forthcoming - I have to assume the Governor wouldn't make this announcement unless the grand deal was about to signed.

6.  A Flat Gross Tax on gas sounds like fiscal certainty at long last?

What would make this better:

1. LNG Buyer participation - nothing says that won't happen, but LNG customer participation could strengthen the project. 

What could go wrong:

1. Just about anything and everything can go wrong at this stage.  The problem with grand deals is that somebody or group will feel left out or abused by the deal, then the lawsuit phase of the project begins.  I hope the project survives that stage but hang on to your hat.

Good luck Governor, this is a big step in the right direction.


Press Release from Alaska Governor Sean Parnell (LINK), text:

January 10, 2014, Anchorage, Alaska – Governor Sean Parnell today announced that the State of Alaska will pursue becoming an equity partner in the Alaska LNG project. The governor also announced the state will terminate its involvement with TransCanada as its licensee under the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act (AGIA), and partner with the company in a more traditional commercial agreement.

“For the first time in our state’s history, the framework is in place to build an all-Alaska gasline on Alaska’s terms and in Alaskans’ interests,” Governor Parnell said. “We have all the necessary parties to make an Alaska gasline project go - three producers, a pre-eminent pipeline builder, an entity in AGDC that can carry Alaskans’ interests, and state agencies responsible for the royalties and taxes.”
The governor stated he soon expects a commercial agreement, known as a Heads of Agreement, for the Alaska LNG project. The agreement is anticipated to be signed by Exxon, BP, ConocoPhillips, TransCanada, the Alaska Gasline Development Corporation (AGDC), and by the commissioners of the Departments of Revenue and Natural Resources. The Heads of Agreement will be subject to public review by the Legislature.

“As a partner in the gasline project, Alaska will control its own destiny,” Governor Parnell said. “Ownership ensures we either pay ourselves for project services, or negotiate and ensure the lowest possible costs. As a partner, Alaskans stand to gain more.”

Governor Parnell also intends to introduce legislation addressing how the state will manage its gas resources by authorizing the Department of Natural Resources to modify certain leases, and enter into shipping agreements to move and sell the state’s natural gas. The legislation will propose moving from a variable net tax to a flat gross tax for North Slope gas, allow certain leases to pay production taxes with gas, and enable the Departments of Revenue and Natural Resources to manage the state’s gas revenues.

“While most Alaskans have seen past efforts to develop a large gas project falter for various reasons, this time is different,” Governor Parnell added. “AGDC is our ‘ace in the hole,’ meaning we can still opt for the smaller volume ASAP project.”
###

Video

Plethora of options

Tons of ideas out there, but still no buyers for Alaska gas. Here's links to pipeline related presentations submitted to the Senate Resources Committee this week :

Larry Persily, Federal Coordinator (LINK)
TransCanada (LINK)
Bill "Valdez LNG" Walker (LINK)
Malcolm Roberts (LINK)
Harold Heinze ANGDA (LINK)
David Gottstein (LINK)
AGDC, answers to 54 Wielechowski questions (LINK)
DNR Dan Sullivan, Gasline Update (LINK)
Dan "ASAP" Fauske (LINK)