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Northern Gas Pipelines, (Alaska Gas Pipeline, Denali - The Alaska Gas Pipeline, Mackenzie Valley Gas Pipeline, Alaska Highway Gas Pipeline, Northern Route Gas Pipeline, Arctic Gas, LNG, GTL) is your public service, objective, unbiased 1-stop-shop for Arctic gas pipeline projects and people, informal and rich with new information, updated 30 times weekly and best Northern Oil & Gas Industry Links on the Internet.  Find AAGPC, AAGSC, ANGTL, ANNGTC,  ANGDA, ANS, APG, APWG, ANGTA, ANGTS, AGPPT, ANWR, ARC, CARC, CAGPL, CAGSL, FPC, FERC, GTL, IAEE, LNG, NEB, NPA, TAGS, TAPS, NARUC, IOGCC, CONSUMER ENERGY ALLIANCE, AOGA,AOGCC, RCA and more...

2009 LINKS: FERC Reports to Congress, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7....; USGS Arctic Gas Estimates; MMS hearings: RDC, Our NGP, AJOC, DH, ADN, KTUU; Enstar Bullet Line: Map and News Links; ANGDA; Alaska Energy Forum; Prosperity Alaska

2008 LINKS: Shell Alaska OCS Study; Mackenzie Gas Project EIS; Join the Alaska Gas Pipeline Blog Discussion; Governor Sarah Palin's AGIA Links; 2007 ACES tax bill links; Department of Revenue 2007 ACES tax documents;  2007 ACES tax Presentations; 2007 ACES tax news; Alaska Gas Pipeline Training and Jobs; Gas Pipeline and Economic Development; Andrew Halcro; Bjørn Lomborg; FERC's Natural Gas Website Links

WASHINGTON: Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline Act; History of H.R. 4; DOE Energy Bill Position, 6-02; Daschle-Bingaman Energy Bill (Alaska, Sec. 1236 & tax credit, Sec. 2503 & H.R. 4 Conferees), Tax Credit; See amendments, "Energy Policy Act of 2002";  "Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline Act of 2001 (Draft)" & Background Paper, 8-9-01;Alaska Legislature Joint Committee position; Governor's position; Governor's 10-Point Plan; Anadarko Analysis; U.S. Senate Energy Committee Testimony, 10-2-01 - text version;  U.S. Senate Energy Committee Testimony, 9-14-00; Report on the Alaska Natural Gas Transportation Act of 1971, prepared by staff of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 1-18-01

ALASKA: 1-23-03, Governor Frank Murkowski's State of the State Speech; 2002 DRAFT Recommendations to 2003 Legislature; '02 Alaska Legislation; Alaska Highway Natural Gas Pipeline Policy Council; Joint Legislative Gas Pipeline Committee; 9-01 Alaska Models: Canadian Routes, LNG, GTL; HR 4 Story; Cook Inlet Supply-Demand Report: AEDC; Commonwealth North Investigation & Our Article; Report: Backbone; Legislature Contacts; State Gas Pipeline Financing Study; 5-02 Alaska Producer Update; Kenai: "Oil & Gas Industry Issues and Activities Report, 11-02"; Alaska Oil & Gas Tax Structure; 2-27-02 Royalty Sale Background; Alaska Gas Pipeline Office opens, 7-01, and closes, 5-02; Betty Galbraith's 1997-1998 Chronology Our copy.

CANADA: 1-10-03, "Arctic Gas Pipeline Construction Impacts On Northern Transp."-Transport Canada-PROLOG Canada Inc.-The Van Horne Institute;Hill Times Reports, 8-30-02; 9-30-02, Cons. Info. Requirements; CBC Archives, Berger Commission; GNWT Economic Impact Study, 5-13-02; GNWT-Purvin & Gertz Study, 5-8-02; Alberta-Alaska MOU 6-02; Draft Pan- Northern Protocol for Oil and Gas Development; Yukon Government Economic Effects: 4-02 & PPT; Gas Pipeline Cooperation Plan Draft & Mackenzie Valley Environmental Impact Review Board Mackenzie Valley Pipeline MOU Draft, 6-01; FirstEnergy Analysis: 10-19-01; Integrated Delta Studies; National Post on Mackenzie Pipeline, 1-02;Northern Pipeline Act;  Haida Nation v. British Columbia; Indian Claims Commission; Skeena Cellulose decision -- aboriginal consultations required, 12-02; Misc. Pipeline Studies '02

COMPANIES: Alaska Gas Producers Pipeline Team Newsletter, 7-27-01; APG Newsletter: 5-02, 7-02 & 9-02; ArctiGas NEB PIP Filing Background; NRGPC Newsletter: Fall-02;  4-02 ArctiGas Reduces Field Work; BP's Natural Gas Page; Enbridge Perspective; Foothills Perspective; Williams Perspective; YPC Perspective, 7-02

 MEDIA REFERENCE: Alaska Journal of Commerce; Alaska Inc. Magazine; Anchorage Daily News; Canadian Broadcasting Corporation; Fairbanks Daily News Miner, Juneau Empire; Northern News Services; Oil & Gas Reporter; Petroleum News Alaska; Whitehorse Star, etc.

EXTENDED CONFERENCE NEWS: Alaska Support Industry Alliance, Anchorage Chamber of Commerce Canadian Institute, Insight Information, Inuvik Petroleum Shows, International Association of Energy Economists, Resource Development Council for Alaska, Ziff Energy Group

 

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Northern Gas Pipelines:  Additional 2002 References Below

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2-12-02:  Follow-up News.   Gov. Tony Knowles yesterday introduced legislation to authorize the Alaska Railroad Corporation to issue $17 billion in tax-exempt bonds to finance the proposed Alaska Highway natural gas pipeline.  "We can use the bonding authority of the Alaska Railroad Corporation to help bring good jobs and needed revenue to the state and to deliver Alaska's abundant natural gas to a waiting continent," said Knowles. "We've asked the producers to sharpen their pencils and give this a close, hard look. Fully utilizing this unique opportunity would be a significant step forward in Alaska's effort to finance and construct what would be America's largest, privately funded construction project."  The railroad's ability to issue tax-exempt bonds to finance industrial development was authored by Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens and approved by Congress when it approved the transfer of the Alaska Railroad from federal to state ownership in 1983. Congress reaffirmed the railroad's authority to issue tax-exempt bonds when it passed the Tax Reform Act of 1986. State legislation is still needed to give the Railroad Corporation the authority to issue the bonds to finance the multi-billion dollar gas pipeline project.  Although the Railroad Corporation would serve as the conduit for issuing the tax-exempt bonds, neither the railroad nor the state would own the gas line nor be liable for the debt. That responsibility would fall on the privately owned companies that will build, own, and operate the gas line. This type of "conduit financing" on a smaller scale has been used in Alaska to help finance the construction of the Valdez pipeline terminal and the purchase of the Snettisham Hydroelectric Project in Juneau.  Specifically, Knowles' bill states that building a gas pipeline is an essential purpose of the state and critical to the state's health and welfare and recognizes that a necessary and proper function of the Alaska Railroad is the ability to finance such facilities. The bill amends existing law to authorize the railroad to issue up to $17 billion in bonds to finance the construction and maintenance of a gas line and related facilities for transporting natural gas from Alaska's North Slope. It also authorizes the railroad to negotiate with producers of natural gas on the bond issue.  "Supporters of this concept, including its author--Sen. Ted Stevens--saw the value of the railroad as an economic engine for our state, and the need to fuel that engine," Knowles said. "The bottom line is, tax-exempt financing saves money, and lots of it. Preliminary estimates prepared by the investment firm Goldman Sachs and the Department of Revenue say such a financing plan could save the owners of the gas line more than 1 billion in today's dollars over the life of the project."  Knowles' railroad bonding proposal is a significant state effort to help the project move forward and would complement financing incentives now under consideration by Congress. In testimony before the Senate Energy Committee last fall, Knowles proposed federal financing incentives such as accelerated depreciation and measures to reduce commodity risk to help make the gasline project financially viable.  "Support for pursuing this financing option is strong," Knowles said. "We are moving forward with this legislation because we are confident that it will help Alaska deliver as much as six billion cubic feet per day of natural gas to the nation. The long-term economic impact of this project is phenomenal. It will generate revenues for the state, as well as tens of thousands of jobs in Alaska and nationwide."   (STATE Release & Photo-Joining Gov. Knowles for the bill introduction today were DOT/PF Commissioner Joe Perkins, DCED Commissioner Debby Sedwick, Bill Corbus, and Rep. Eric Croft).

2-7-02: POST-FINAL MEETING.  ANCHORAGE--Council Co-Chairman Jim Sampson opened the special work session of the Council, saying the group would first hear from the Governor, following which Co-Chairman Frank Brown would introduce state agency reports, which you may download from this site, hyperlinks below.  (Photo, 10-31-01-Sampson-left, and Brown)

------  Note: The author believes this is a creative, positive step by the Alaska Administration, obviously well coordinated with Alaska's Congressional Delegation (i.e. without whom this special Alaska Railroad tax exempt mechanism would not be available).  Many 'sticks' have been used over the past year with gas producers.  While producing and pipeline companies have yet to announce their reaction to the proposal, the creation of this 'carrot' can have the effect of launching discussions into a productive realm and supporting a climate attractive to long term investment.     -dh  ------

Governor Tony Knowles (Photos, 2-7-02: left, First Lady Susan Knowles joins applauding audience; right, Knowles) attributed his Administration's new gas pipeline financing proposal to recommendations originating with his Alaska Highway Natural Gas Pipeline Policy Council in their final report, last November.  He gave particular credit to Bill Corbus' (Photo-below left, 8-13-01) subcommittee, which "...carefully analyzed ownership benefits and risks...."

Saying the bonding authority of the Alaska Railroad Corporation can help bring good jobs and needed revenue to the state and deliver Alaska's abundant natural gas to a waiting continent, Knowles proposed using this creative financing option to lower the cost of the Alaska Highway natural gas pipeline. Experts calculate it could save more than $1 billion on the cost of the pipeline project, enough to make it economical.
At issue is financing the multi-billion dollar project with tax-exempt bonds issued by the Alaska Railroad Corporation. The railroad's ability to issue tax-exempt bonds to finance industrial development was authored by Alaska Sen. Ted Stevens and approved by Congress when it approved the transfer of the Alaska Railroad from federal to state ownership in 1983. The railroad's authority to issue tax-exempt bonds was reaffirmed by Congress when it passed the Tax Reform Act of 1986.

"You see where the tracks are leading. Tax-exempt financing saves money," Knowles said.   "Estimates prepared by Goldman Sachs and the Department of Revenue suggest that such a financing plan could save the owners of the gasline more than $1 billion in today's dollars over the life of the project. Ted Stevens' visionary approach to Alaska's and the nation's interests is clearly evident in this innovative recognition of the role of the Alaska Railroad in economic development."

While the railroad would issue the bonds, neither the railroad nor the state would own the gas line nor be liable for the debt. That responsibility would fall on the private companies that build, own, and operate the gas line.

"The railroad always has been an important economic engine in Alaska," Knowles said.   "Anchorage was born as a railroad construction town. The railroad supported construction of the Alaska Highway during World War II, and the subsequent military buildup in Alaska. It helped build the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System and along its 611 miles of track, the Alaska Railroad carries 7 million tons of freight and half-a-million passengers every year, and provides good jobs to 700 Alaskans."

Knowles said that "conduit financing" arrangements like this have worked in the past, and are still
allowed by Congress in special cases. In the 1970s, the City of Valdez issued bonds on behalf of the oil pipeline owners to construct the Valdez tanker terminal.  The Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority has financed construction of the solid waste disposal facility at the Fort Knox Gold Mine near Fairbanks; and the purchase of the Snettisham Hydroelectric Project in Juneau from the federal government.

One of the key recommendations of the Gas Policy Council's committee that studied state  ownership was that the state should explore creative financial options to facilitate all or part of the gas pipeline. If this financing idea helps make the gasline project economically viable, Knowles said the state and railroad are ready to move forward. "I'll be prepared to affirm the state's support of such a package by sending to the Legislature a bill to provide the railroad with state authority to issue the bonds to get the gasline built," Knowles said.

"Congress has created and protected this opportunity for the railroad" Knowles said. "It's on the books and ready to go. It could save gasline developers as much as a billion dollars in financing costs. By any measure, this is a significant step forward in Alaskans' effort to finance and construct what would be America's largest, privately funded construction project."

Alaska Railroad Corporation President Pat Gamble (Photo, 5-01) said the tax-free bonding capacity given to the corporation was designed by Congress to help with this kind of mission--to allow the railroad to continue its role as an economic engine for Alaska. Senator Stevens, who was briefed on the proposal by the governor earlier this week, said this could be an important step in moving the gasline project ahead.  When introduced by Knowles via teleconference, Gamble said, "On behalf of the Alaska Railroad...we stand ready to be an important part of this project."

"The stakes are high, but the opportunities are great," Knowles said. "Alaska can deliver as much as six billion cubic feet per day of natural gas to the nation. This is as much as eight percent of daily national demand for natural gas, and is a steady, reliable source of domestically produced energy that is large enough to battle future price spikes. The long-term economic impact of this project is phenomenal, and will generate tens of thousands of jobs nationwide, including jobs for Alaskans, and revenues for the state."

Knowles has worked steadily to market Alaska's vast resource of North Slope natural gas from his first term in office, when he formed the Gas Commercialization Team, to last year when he formed
the Gas Policy Council to look at specific issues related to the proposed Alaska Highway project. In testimony before the Senate Energy Committee last fall, Knowles proposed federal financing incentives as accelerated depreciation to help make the project viable. Knowles' railroad bonding proposal would complement those federal incentives now under consideration by Congress, and is a significant state effort to help the project move forward.

In Washington, D.C., Lt. Gov. Fran Ulmer (Photo, center-on Council tour of Kenai gas facilities, 5-01) briefed key Department of Energy officials on Alaska gasline issues. "I stressed the need for state and federal agencies to work together on financing and streamlining the permitting process," Ulmer said after her meetings Wednesday with Assistant Secretary of Energy Mike Smith and Donald Juckett, chair of the Department's gas line task force. "Coordination is critical to make this project happen. They can really help by lining up behind the State of Alaska's efforts."

"We will continue working with the producing owners of the gas as well as North America's leading
pipeline companies to make this project viable," Knowles said. "I've said many times that alignment of all parties' interests can happen and we will continue to pursue that goal. I think this is an idea worth talking about and I offer it today with one goal in mind--to help get the gasline project rolling."

Knowles asked for the Revenue Department's Deputy Commissioner, Stephen C. (Neil) Slotnick, to provide more financing details, assisted by Ken Vassar-Partner with Wohlforth, Vassar, Johnson & Brecht (Bond Counsel) and Jeffrey Brown, Vice President, Goldman, Sachs & Co.  John Katz, Knowles' Washington representative attended by teleconference.  (Download the complete PowerPoint presentation here, courtesy of Mr. Slotnick's office.)  Vassar said, "The Alaska Railroad is in a unique position to provide tax exempt financing for the portion of the gas line in Alaska."  Brown affirmed that this financing technique would provide a 2% interest rate advantage, a long-term cost savings amounting to over $1 billion.  In questioning, Member Mike Navarre determined that the financing would extend to the gas processing plant.  Member Esther Wunnicke asked if pipeline financing would limit the Alaska Railroad's ability to sell other bonds.  Slotnick verified it would not.  In answer to a question by Member Al Adams, Brown said private participants would contribute about 30 percent of the capital as equity, creating a 30/70 equity to debt ratio for a project estimated at $17 billion.  Members Brian Davies, Charlie Cole, Jim Sampson, Dave Rose, Carl Marrs, Mike O'Connor, Bill Corbus, Jack Roderick and Frank Brown had their further questions satisfied.  (Photos-various of meeting participants, 2-7-02; see official state release here, contributing to this review, in part.)

 

 

Kevin Banks, (Photo, left-2-1-02) an analyst with the State's Division of Oil & Gas, gave a report on a recently completed "Alaska Gas & NGL Economic Analysis of Value and Royalty" (Download here).  This work provides the state with current expertise and data relating to gas supply and demand issues affecting the potential marketing and valuation of royalty gas.  Another Division analyst, William Nebesky, provided a report on, "Alaska Natural Gas In-State Demand" (Download here). Photo-Nebesky, left, on 4-19-01 with Ken Thompson, another Council member, at International Association for Energy Economists' Meeting.

Other references: Anchorage Daily News story by Tony Hopfinger.  *  Juneau Empire story by AP's Mike Chambers.  *  CBC, Whitehorse, Yukon - Alaska Governor Tony Knowles plans to use an obscure law to help gas producers build an Alaska Highway pipeline.  *  State gas pipeline ownership report, issued earlier in the month.

 

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