Alaska exports for first three quarters of 2003 up 5 percent

Petroleum News

Sales of Alaska goods to foreign countries totaled $2.2 billion for the first three quarters of 2003, up 5 percent compared to the same period of 2002, an increase of $106 million, the state reported in December.

Seafood is Alaska’s largest export, just over $1.2 billion in sales through the third quarter of 2003.

The state’s other top export commodities are minerals, energy, fertilizers, forest products and precious metals.

Minerals exports declined 6.75 percent to $296 million. Zinc exports were more than $234 million in the first three quarters and lead $62 million.

Liquefied natural gas accounted for $111 million of the $211 million in energy exports in the first three quarters, up 8 percent compared to the same period last year. Light oils and non-crude petroleum sales declined 12 percent to $100 million. The state’s crude oil is sold domestically in the Lower 48, and is not included in these figures.

Fertilizer exports of urea and ammonia, produced from Cook Inlet natural gas, totaled $145 million, up 18 percent from the first three quarters of 2002.

Forest products, at $97 million, were up 19 percent from 2002.

Precious metals continue to increase substantially, the state said, up 211 percent, to $74 million, almost entirely from a $53 million improvement in gold exports.