Gas owners seed federal legislation to speed gas line to Lower 48

Petroleum News Alaska Staff

Alaska Sen. Frank Murkowski said July 20 that he has received a series of suggestions from North Slope gas producers for how the federal government can facilitate construction of an Alaska natural gas line.

Murkowski said he had urged BP, ExxonMobil and Phillips last year to make concrete suggestions on what the federal government could do to help facilitate construction of a gasline to move North Slope natural gas to market. The companies proposed a host of measures July 19 to expedite permitting for any gasline project.

“There are a number of proposals offered, and we’re evaluating them, so it’s too early to divulge specifics and evaluate how they relate to current law,” Murkowski said. He hopes to be able to include advance an Alaska gas project in energy legislation that is already moving in the House and will likely be considered in the Senate this fall.