Trump administration planning Alaska summit to discuss LNG pipeline, reports say
By Eric Stone
The Trump administration’s National Energy Dominance Council is planning an Alaska summit with leaders from Japan and South Korea in early June to discuss the Alaska LNG project.
That’s according to reports from the New York Times and Reuters citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter. The White House, the Energy Department and the Interior Department all declined to confirm the summit reportedly scheduled for June 2 in emails to Alaska Public Media.
The White House and the Energy Department each emailed identical statements touting the potential benefits of the project and saying the administration was “committed” to supporting the Alaska LNG project.
“Unlike the previous administration which openly discouraged investment in American LNG, President Trump and (Energy) Secretary (Chris) Wright are committed to expanding American energy infrastructure, including by supporting the Alaska LNG Project,” White House and Energy Department spokespeople said.
The $44 billion, 800-mile Arctic gasline project would connect North Slope natural gas fields with a liquefaction facility and export terminal in Southcentral Alaska. But for decades, the Alaska LNG project has failed to attract enough investors to make the complex and expensive project a reality, leaving trillions of cubic feet of natural gas stranded without a market.
Since returning to office, Trump has repeatedly said the gasline project is a priority for his administration. The state agency working towards the gasline project signed an agreement last month with developer Glenfarne to bring the project towards a final investment decision. That’s expected late this year.
Gov. Mike Dunleavy traveled to Asia earlier this year to seek foreign investors for the gasline. He returned with a nonbinding letter of intent saying Taiwanese state energy company CPC Corp. would purchase gas from the project. But the governor did not return with commitments from enough partners to allow the project to move forward.
The ramped-up gasline push comes as countries seek to avoid high tariffs from the Trump administration.
The reports from the Times and Reuters say federal officials hope to use the summit to announce commitments from Japan and South Korea to purchase gas from the project. Trade talks with Japan and South Korea are underway, and Japan has floated increasing LNG imports as an element of a potential trade deal. But the Korean industry minister told Reuters he was not aware of any plans to announce a commitment from South Korea.
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: Community in northern Quebec to make the jump from diesel to hydroelectricity, CBC News
Finland: The world could transition entirely to cheap, safe renewable energy before 2050: Finnish study, Yle News
Norway: Chinese rig finds oil in Barents Sea, The Independent Barents Observer
Russia: Production comes to halt at Novatek’s Arctic LNG 2: Bloomberg, The Independent Barents Observer
Sweden: Swedish developer GRANGEX buys iron ore mine on Norway’s border to Russia, The Independent Barents Observer
United States: High Arctic planning area included in latest U.S. offshore oil & gas lease plan, Eye on the Arctic
