OFC identifies speakers for public forum

Petroleum News

The federal coordinator’s office for the Alaska natural gas pipeline has identified panelists who will speak at its Jan. 22 public forum on natural gas markets, set for 1 to 3:30 p.m. at the University of Alaska Anchorage Fine Arts Building Recital Hall. The forum will be streamed live on the federal coordinator’s website at www.arcticgas.gov and broadcast at a later date on the statewide TV channels that carry Gavel to Gavel.

“The purpose of the forum is to help Alaskans understand the potential for a North Slope gas pipeline and the economic issues affecting that potential,” Federal Coordinator Larry Persily said. “The Alaska gas pipeline will have to be economically viable in very competitive natural gas markets. The speakers will provide insights that should help Alaskans better understand the possible natural gas markets of 2020 and beyond.”

The panelists are:

• Jeff Wright, director of the Office of Energy Projects for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Washington, D.C. Wright oversees applications for the construction and operation of natural gas pipelines and storage facilities nationwide and the siting and safety of liquefied natural gas terminals. In addition, his office administers supplemental siting authority for interstate electric transmission facilities.

• Edward Kelly, vice president of North American Gas and Power for Wood Mackenzie, Houston. Kelly is a recognized expert on the North American natural gas and power industries, with focused expertise in the natural gas midstream, energy markets and energy business strategies. He is familiar with the Alaska gas line project, having provided consulting services to state officials on several occasions over the past 12 years.

• Teri Viswanath, director of natural gas commodities research, Credit Suisse, Houston. She has served as director of research and strategy for the energy trading group at Deutsche Bank; a consultant at Citadel Investments; and a director at Dynegy, a wholesale power generating company.

• Ron Denhardt, chief executive officer for Strategic Energy and Economic Research Inc., Winchester, Mass. Denhardt manages SEER’s energy consulting services and is the primary author of SEER’s short- and long-term natural gas services. He has 30 years of experience in the energy industry, focusing primarily on natural gas and electricity.

The Office of Federal Coordinator for Alaska Natural Gas Transportation Projects was established by Congress in 2004 to expedite and coordinate federal permitting for a pipeline to deliver natural gas from Alaska’s North Slope to U.S. markets.