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Begich Comments on Alaska LNG License Filing

Senator Mark Begich

US Senator Mark Begich recently commented on the Alaska LNG Project’s filing for an export license.  KDLG’s Chase Cavanaugh has more. 

On Monday, the Alaska Liquefied Natural Gas Project filed for an export license with the US Department of Energy.  The project will consist of a pipeline running from Alaska’s North Slope through the state to Nikiski.  In addition to providing domestic gas source for cities along the pipeline, the Nikiski end will feature an LNG terminal to freeze and export the gas.  US Senator Mark Begich says while the permitting process takes time, he’ll make sure the delays will be minimal.

“As the application gets processed, we’ll do everything on our end to make sure it doesn’t get delayed or caught up in red tape, but again, for Alaska, it’s a 30 year project with 20 million tons per year of LNG, which is not only good for Alaska from an economic standpoint, but also gives us a chance to export to many of our allies around the world.”

Begich notes that liquefied natural gas projects are in great demand in the lower-48, particularly due to the high volume of gas from hydraulic fracturing, a process where water, mixed with chemicals, is used to extract gas from bodies such as sands and shale.  Liquefied natural gas would allow the gas to be transported outside the country without the need for a pipeline.  When it comes to said exports, Begich says Alaska is in a privileged position.

“Now the unique thing, Alaska by itself is different than the lower-48 gas, and what I mean by that is ours is considered kind of stranded, meaning that we have an opportunity to push it out into the pacific rim and not have much effect on the rest of the market in the lower 48, so we’re in our own world.”

According to Begich, the permitting process should ultimately take several months.