A gas line is pitched — but state wonders what comes next
Published Thursday, April 10, 2008
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Stumble It!JUNEAU — A day after ConocoPhillips and BP announced they were starting work on a natural gas pipeline project, legislative leaders and Gov. Sarah Palin are somewhat at odds over how to proceed with the state effort to get one built.
Leaders in the Senate have asked for a meeting with Palin’s administration to discuss how the announcement impacts the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act and the TransCanada pipeline proposal currently under review, according to Senate majority spokesman Jeff Turner.
Sen. Charlie Huggins, R-Wasilla, who chairs the Senate Resources Committee, said Wednesday the news definitely affected how he thinks about the TransCanada proposal.
The announcement could make lawmakers less enthusiastic about the TransCanada plan, he said, and awarding the company a state license could limit its ability to partner with ConocoPhillips and BP — something many lawmakers describe as ideal.
“You can make a case deferring a decision on AGIA,” he said. “That at least has to be on the table.”
Rep. Ralph Samuels, R-Anchorage, the majority leader, said he’d like to see Palin’s administration consider the producers’ project along with the “all-Alaska” project it has promised to consider.
He said as chair of the Legislative Budget and Audit Committee, he would probably ask legislative consultants to review the idea, too. And he said the project would surely be in lawmakers’ minds if the administration did ask them to approve the TransCanada plan.
“I don’t think anybody can help it,” he said.
Revenue Commissioner Pat Galvin said the administration was willing to discuss the issue with lawmakers, but he added that the announcement didn’t change their approach to getting a gas line.
Galvin said the administration would consider the ConocoPhillips and BP plan in its determination of whether the TransCanada proposal warrants a state license.
“But there really isn’t much that we’ll know about the details of the project for probably quite some time,” he said. “We’ve got basically a two-page press release and an 11-page presentation.”
The administration has tens of thousands of pages of information and analysis on the TransCanada plan, he added.
Company representatives say they’re not asking lawmakers for anything at this point.
The announcement was made completely independent of AGIA, BP’s Angus Walker said Tuesday. “There is no request at this point of the Legislature.”
ConocoPhillips’ Brian Wenzel added that the companies are willing to provide more information about the project in the future.
Meanwhile, lawmakers and the administration are still at odds over another subject — whether a smaller line to meet in-state needs should also be considered during a special legislative session on the gas line planned for this summer.
Lawmakers from both bodies overwhelmingly approved a Senate resolution urging the governor to expand the session agenda to cover the in-state line.
Galvin said Wednesday the administration still believed the agenda was broad enough to consider in-state gas use, and added that a small gas pipeline should be considered against other projects aimed at reducing energy costs, rather than against a major pipeline project.
Community Discussion
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Just fork the $5million over to me...
Nanushuk & Itkillik Fire in 2007...
...may have been a Lucky Lightning Strike for Anadarko. The fire burnt 250sq.mi. from Gubik southward, racing rapidly because of methane saturated tundra during record ground warmth conditions in the foothills.
James Dalton was right on the button..
..but the military gave him a lump of coal for Christmas.
$3.3billion for a bulletline today is a cruel joke.... as if it was to be built out of "unobtainium" !!
Heck, don't be fooled kids!!!!!!
We can still build it and pass gas for the same price as 1957...
...thanks to modern technology.
$1 per gallon LPG for Yukon-Koyukuk....forever....(;-P)
It's 2million feet from pump-4 to Fairbanks.
3" dia gasline designed to ship LPG could be installed before freezeup-2008.
Total installed cost $20million.
Rate of amortization: 100% in 6months @ $1/gal LPG.
Imagine a 200psi 3"LPG-gasline filling a railcar at 100gallons per minute.
And a 2nd 3"gasline to Homer will be even cheaper,easier,quicker..
The 3rd and 4th will be really fun, and 5th and 6th will be passing gas to Juneau before the end of 2009.
FLEXIBLE POLYETHYLENE GASLINE -- LPG PIPE
NOMINAL PIPE SIZE -- 3"
Maximum Working Pressure is 255PSI
PART NUMBER -- G6065
NOMINAL O. D. -- 3.500”
WALL THICKNESS -- 0.479”
NOMINAL WEIGHT PER FT -- 2.00#
COIL LENGTH -- 500’
MAX FT PER TRUCK -- 12,000’
LIST PRICE PER 100’ -- $343.62
If we passed the fur-hat around Fairbanks we can quickly come up with enough dough to buy a machine that makes 3" LPG-gasline.
http://www.alibaba.com/trade/search?Type...
....with a machine like this we could be making our own gaslines/waterlines/sewerlines/geothermlines/mininglines for CHEAP CHEAP CHEAP !!!
Made from Alaskan NGL's, By Alaskans, For Alaskans
NORTH STAR GAS....BIG DIPPER PIPE MFG. LLC
The nice thing about little plastic-gaslines is they don't require roads to build them, and they disappear into the wilderness nicely, but they put gas where you need it...
where it's cold while panning for gold on your claim.
......now, I challenge anybody to tell me why this plastic gasline project won't work..
..try me.
The earthquake resistance to RTP-gaslines is very much superior to steel. Worldwide, many pipeline companies are solving their geologic issues by abandoning steel in favor of rtp-pipe.
The corrosion resistance is amazing, and certain types of RTP-gasline are more bullet-resistant than TAPS.
I hope that everybody takes the time to search the web for the growing number of industry articles about Reinforced Thermoplastic Pipe.
There's many different types of rtp-pipe.
Many countries worldwide have already switched from steel to plastic, even Turkmenistan is several years ahead of Alaska..
..well, the Supermajors are already using plastic-pipe on the slope in many demanding applications, but they don't widely advertise it.
Brasil already has several thousand kilometers of plastic-gasline in use in offshore gas-gathering applications 1000meters deep.
Formulations of plastic recipes are advanced enough now that we have plastic pipe that exceeds the dynamic performance of steel at arctic temps of minus-60F.
...please take the time to do the research, read for yourself.
Yes, I'm interested in the science and engineering of this, and I'm not just a gullible mindless salesman..
actually I'm retired and don't work for anybody...(;-P)
...flash/rumble
DT you are correct in many ways, but it took the state of Alaska over 20 years to permit the use of plastic pipe in plumbing systems, how long do you think it will take to approve the use of plastic for a gas line? The number one problem will be UNIONS,, plastic pipe is easer and much more labor saving than steel pipe, if you think they will not fight it, think again. It will be a LONG battle,, sad but true...
Bugger, sad but probably true. I bet the unions would fight a simple plastic pipe. I think we should not for one second let our guard down with these oil companies. Why should we trust them? They have lied and stolen from us for years. Remember back when oil was 9 bucks a barrel and they were crying how poor they were and how it costs so much to extract oil from the north slope? Remember how we gave them concessions, concessions that I think are still in place with oil at 109 a barrel!!! I think we need to just be very cautious about our dealings with them and I also think Sarah Palin has our best interest in mind and is doing a super job!!
Tell the Unions to contact me, we'll have a little fun hashing this thing out. I don't mind volunteering some time to fast tracking a training center. Building a plastic-pipe industry in Alaska has benefits for every union membership. Even the steelworkers union won't feel pinched when I get done explaining this thing.
Plastic-pipe = higher benefits for all, more job safety, higher wages, more vacation time, and easier membership management logistics.
People should also pay attention to reporter Stefan Milkowski's blog "Capitol Focus" under the Blogs heading.
Short, but gives insight into behind-the-scene activity.
I think Stefan does a pretty good job.
I know this is more than likely to sound naive but what purpose exactly do unions do now that I can't do for myself? I've worked for employers both non union and now union. I resent the the fact I am forced to pay out to a union who I believe does not hold my best interests to heart. I completely understand the original need when they were first formed but I believe I can fight my own battles with my employer - am I wrong?
I was just waiting until someone threw in the "UNIONS" word.... now we will never have a new pipeline!!
I hereby recommend the State of Alaska proceed with the gas pipeline project.
I authorize the Govenor to give the (go ahead).
I approve funds to be make available by the State Legislature.
I hereby request federal funds be made available.
Now isn't that easy?
Daniel A. Berry
Fer cryin' out loud, let's just renew the liberal/conservative rock throwing, character bashing sideshow while the Juggernaucracy plods along, souless but not mindless.
Just see where this gets us.
Crying wolf for or against unions only obscures the big picture.
I've been in good and bad unions and they're only as good as their members, just like us and our other elected officials.
My last jobs have been non-union and they would not be offering wages and benefits commensurate to unions if the unions had never existed.
It's all in the tide of human affairs, the pendulum swings, some unions have done well by their members and employers and others have encouraged featherbedding and then absconded with the pensions.
I've been there, done that, Fairbanks -1978.
Most unions have been demolished in the ensuing 30 years but so has our sovereignty, our borders and any sense of loyalty to the Alaskan or American worker who strives to do well.
Unions have the power of their members to do right by their actions.
VECO+Union-busting in the oil patch=(ed) unbridled power for Bill Allen to corrupt the government of Alaska.
This (or whatever) scenario for a gas line is going to need organized labor, not Spanish speaking, dirt cheap, exploited people who are now mustered in Fort McMurray toiling in the Tar Sands.
Don't be forgetting trans-national work forces have been authorized for this BP Colonial/Conoco hurtling towards hell project to Alberta.
We need honest unions now more than ever!
P.S.
I hadn't voted for a Democrat since Steve Cowper until 2006 when I supported Diane Benson along with Sarah P.
Same-same for 2008.
Enough is enough!
Remember your Union is only as strong as its members. If Union members don't show up for mettings, don't vote, don't represent their own union,...those members have no complaint to voice.
Ditto Copper (BTW we cross-posted).
IF, and I emphasize "IF", this pipeline ever gets started, how about Alaska hires first! Alaska hires first before Texas, Mexico, and cheap labor. I love the rational that there are not enough trained Alaskans to work. Well, train Alaskans for this project.
Amen, Sister!
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