Frank

Alaska Gov. Frank Murkowski, soundly defeated in his state’s Republican primary last week, said he will call the Legislature into special session one more time, possibly next month, in an attempt to turn his dream of commercializing Alaska natural gas from pipe dream to reality before he leaves office.

Alaska Gov. Frank Murkowski earlier this month got the oil and gas tax revamp he said was necessary to move ahead with his administration’s plan for a pipeline to bring North Slope gas to Canada and the Lower 48 (see Daily GPI, Aug. 14). But before he can make his pipeline dreams reality he first must get reelected.

Alaska Gov. Frank Murkowski on Friday accused state lawmakers of “deliberately” trying to slow down plans to contract with North Slope producers BP plc, ExxonMobil Corp. and ConocoPhillips to build a natural gas pipeline, saying that unless there’s a turnaround in the next few days, the state may lose its chance to build a gasline. Murkowski also discounted reports that BP CEO John Browne wants to slow down negotiations. The governor said he had been “assured” of the producer’s commitment.

Alaska Gov. Frank Murkowski on Friday accused state lawmakers of “deliberately” trying to slow down plans to contract with North Slope producers BP plc, ExxonMobil Corp. and ConocoPhillips to build a natural gas pipeline and said unless there’s a turnaround in the next few days, the state may lose its chance to build a gasline. Murkowski also discounted reports that BP CEO John Browne wants to slow down negotiations. The governor said he had been “assured” of the producer’s commitment.

Alaska Gov. Frank Murkowski called on state lawmakers to pull together and approve a natural gas pipeline contract within the next month with the “Big Three” North Slope producers: BP plc, ExxonMobil Corp. and ConocoPhillips. Without approval, he warned, Alaska’s hopes to build a gas pipeline to the Lower 48 could be “slipping away.”

Alaska Gov. Frank Murkowski called on state lawmakers to pull together and approve a natural gas pipeline contract within the next month with the “Big Three” North Slope producers: BP plc, ExxonMobil Corp. and ConocoPhillips. Without approval, he warned, Alaska’s hopes to build a gas pipeline to the Lower 48 could be “slipping away.”

In a letter Wednesday to Alaska Gov. Frank Murkowski, U.S. Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman urged the governor to quickly push through the legislative and contractual work necessary to begin the Alaska Natural Gas Transportation Project.

Alaska Gov. Frank Murkowski will call lawmakers back for a second special session July 12 in the hope of finally changing the way the state taxes oil and gas production and nailing down terms of his draft fiscal contract with a trio of producers for development of the Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline.

Alaska Gov. Frank Murkowski will call lawmakers back for a second special session July 12 in the hope of finally changing the way the state taxes oil and gas production and nailing down terms of his draft fiscal contract with a trio of producers for development of the Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline.