Alaskan

Alaskan voters last Tuesday gifted the oil and gas industry with a Republican governor and defeat of a controversial tax on natural gas reserves.

Alaskan voters Tuesday gifted the oil and gas industry with a Republican governor and defeat of a controversial tax on natural gas reserves.

Agrium U.S. Inc. is teaming up with Alaskan officials to evaluate the potential use of coal gasification as a feedstock for its Nikiski fertilizer plant in Kenai, AK, which is slated to close in 2006 when natural gas supplies run out. If a feasibility study proves coal gasification would work, Agrium said the gasification facility could be in operation as early as 2011.

The Alaskan LNG project, proposed by Sempra Energy and the Alaska Gasline Port Authority, is least likely to go forward among the three projects proposed to tap northern natural gas resources — the Alaska and Mackenzie pipelines being the other two. But an uncertain regulatory process and competition from multiple liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminals make the fate of all three northern projects uncertain, according to a new report by Calgary-based Tristone Capital.

The Alaskan LNG project, proposed by Sempra Energy and the Alaska Gasline Port Authority, is least likely to go forward among the three projects proposed to tap northern natural gas resources — the Alaska and Mackenzie pipelines being the other two — but an uncertain regulatory process and competition from multiple liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminals make the fate of all three northern projects uncertain, according to a new report by Calgary-based Tristone Capital.

Not all of the elements are in place to commercialize the two major proposed Alaskan and Canadian natural gas pipelines, but progress is being made. ExxonMobil Corp. is “awaiting the right conditions for development” because the North American market will need gas from both projects in the next decade, a company executive said Tuesday.

Not all of the elements are in place to commercialize the two major proposed Alaskan and Canadian natural gas pipelines, but progress is being made. ExxonMobil Corp. is “awaiting the right conditions for development” because the North American market will need gas from both projects in the next decade, a company executive said Tuesday.

ConocoPhillips said Tuesday that expected seasonal declines and scheduled maintenance activities in North Sea and Alaskan operations will send third quarter oil and natural gas production 7% lower sequentially over second quarter output. The company will issue its quarterly report on Oct. 27.

A part of its plan to help foster exploration in largely unexplored areas of the Alaska Outer Continental Shelf, the Minerals Management Service (MMS) is asking companies about their interest in exploring for oil and gas in the Chukchi Sea, Hope Basin, and Norton Basin.