In June, a natural gas summit will take place in Alaska, with participation from officials of the Trump administration, as well as representatives from South Korea and Japan. President Trump has proposed the construction of a gas pipeline from the North Slope fields to a liquefaction plant in Nikiski on the Kenai Peninsula. It remains uncertain whether the president will actually be in attendance.
The summit is presently scheduled to begin on Jun 2nd.
The summit aims to unite leaders from Japan and South Korea, two significant LNG importers in Asia, for discussions on potential investments and purchase agreements regarding the project.
Although intriguing, the success of any energy agreements largely hinges on the construction of a proposed pipeline for transporting the LNG from the North Slope to the export loading facility.
The Alaska LNG project involves constructing an 800-mile pipeline to transport natural gas from Alaska’s North Slope to a proposed liquefaction and export facility in Nikiski. The project, which has been stalled for decades due to its high costs, the high cost of the expected natural gas, and logistical challenges, is a priority for the Trump Administration as part of its push to expand US energy exports, advance American energy dominance, and strengthen energy ties with non-Chinese Asian allies.
A precautionary notice is in order here; bear in mind what all has transpired with the Keystone pipeline, and its on-again, off-again cycle that it has gone through throughout several presidential administrations. Now, there is one key difference: the proposed Alaskan LNG pipeline doesn’t cross any international borders, meaning no treaties or other agreements are required.
The summit, scheduled around June 2, comes around the timeframe of Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s fourth-annual Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference, June 3-5. At a pre-conference event on June 2, the US Department of Energy will give a presentation called, “Partnerships Driving Success in the Arctic.” It’s a half-day workshop with the National Laboratories, and Department of Energy staff.
The timing of this makes one wonder how many Trump administration officials will remain in the Great Land to attend Governor Dunleavy’s event.
