Flurry of FERC Filings

This week a number of firms filed motions or comments with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Active engagement from the producers and affected parties is a good sign. Remember FERC matters - FERC issues permits for pipelines. That other four letter acronym AGIA - (Alaska Gas Inducement Act) does not.

ConocoPhillips Alaska, Inc. Comment on Filing Motion/Notice of Intervention

The State of Alaska Motion/Notice of Intervention

Notice of request for approval of plan for conducting an open season re TransCanada Alaska Company LLC

BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc. Comment on Filing

ExxonMobil Gas & Power Marketing Company, a division of ExxonMobil Corporation (as Agent) Comment on Filing

Motion to Intervene and Comments of BG Alaska E&P, Inc. (LNG?)

FYI - The FERC elibrary site is not one of the best. It only works about 50% of the time on the weekend. Update - Sunday morning - FERC website and these links are O-tay.

Another bite at the apple

From Petroleum News:

Point Thomson case on ice: Judge grants state’s call for timeout as it appeals ruling to Alaska Supreme Court, Wesley Loy

A judge has ordered a temporary halt to the Point Thomson case pending the state’s appeal of a recent unfavorable ruling to the Alaska Supreme Court.

The one-page order from state Superior Court Judge Sharon Gleason of Anchorage, issued Feb. 11, came over the objections of ExxonMobil and other oil companies with a stake in the rich Point Thomson oil and gas field on Alaska’s eastern North Slope.

Fresh off a significant victory in Gleason’s court, the companies had opposed the State of Alaska’s request for a timeout in a case that’s not yet run its course.

Gleason granted the state’s motion to stay the Superior Court proceedings until the Supreme Court either rejects the state’s petition, or accepts and acts upon it.

(Court Case Info Link)

Enough already - Stick a fork in it - It's done!

BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc. files Motion/Notice of Intervention

BP Exploration (Alaska) Inc. filed a Motion/Notice of Intervention with FERC concerning the TransCanada/ExxonMobil open season (LINK)

LINKS of the Week

ConocoPhillips Alaska boss killed in avalanche

Chinese Seen As Potential Alaska Gas Customer (Investing in AK gas/LNG makes more sense then buying 0.01% US Govt. Bonds)

ACES has put many Alaskans out of work

South Korea to begin gas hydrate and continental shelf development in 2010 (Huh?)

Gas market goes global - Shale's impact felt around the world

Denali's January 2010 FERC report

The Development of a Global LNG Market Is it Likely? If so, When?

Point Thomson Success

ExxonMobil Reaches Target Depth at First Point Thomson Well.

Plan the work, work the plan - What's not to love about this news? Politicians be damned. This team has a plan to develop the gas that will fill the pipeline.

From the Press Release: ExxonMobil drilled the well to a measured depth of over 16,000 feet. The shore-based rig directionally drilled under the Beaufort Sea to the targeted gas reservoir more than 1.5 miles offshore.

“This is another successful milestone for the Point Thomson project,” said Dale Pittman, ExxonMobil Alaska production manager.

ExxonMobil Senior Project Manager Lee Bruce added, “PTU-15 pushed the limits of drilling technology and demonstrated that the Point Thomson drilling plan is sound.”

The rig will be moved to the second development well at Point Thomson (PTU-16) and continue drilling. Work continues on front-end engineering and design for the initial production system.

APP Open Season Details

I've had some time to scan through the "APP" (Alaska Pipeline Project) open season documents and here are a few first impressions:

• In Service Date: 2020 - Hey I'll be SIXTY! OMG I'll be SIXTY!
• Cost to move gas to Alberta: $2.43-$3.13/MMBTU
• Cost to move gas to Valdez: $2.22-$2.89/MMBTU
• Point Thomson is a vital part of the overall project

Overall I'm encouraged by the numbers - it actually looks achievable. At a minimum the cards are on the table and other parties can start ciphering on the cost of an LNG plant, the value of Alaska Gas for tar sand production, and a reasonable tax structure.

Anybody want to take a stab at the cost of the LNG plant? My quick calculation say the LNG plant would have a capacity of 18 million tons per year LNG and cost $31 Billion. Somebody check my math. We really need a good cost estimate of the LNG plant to compare the options.

Here's some images from the document showing the pipeline options and capacities:





Assorted headlines:

EDMONTON JOURNAL:Alaska gas could bypass Alberta Option would send fuel to Valdez

UPI TransCanada details Alaskan pipeline plan

GLOBE AND MAIL: TransCanada seeks Alaska project commitments

OIL & GAS JOURNAL: Alaska Pipeline Project files open season plan

REUTERS: Exxon, TransCanada raise Alaska pipeline estimates

Getting Down to Details

This week TransCanada filed Open Season documents with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Here's a link to the FERC ELibrary (FERC LINK).

This will make good reading, plenty of numbers to crunch. Enjoy!