Home
Major Oil Producers Must Come Together By March 31
Governor expects three major oil producers to come to partnership within two and half months
By Bill McAllister
Bio | Email
After Wednesday’s State of the State speech, Governor Sean Parnell is standing by his call for the three major North Slope producers to come together on a natural gas pipeline project by March 31.
It remains unclear what the governor would do if BP, Exxon Mobil and ConocoPhillips fail to announce a partnership by the end of the first quarter of 2012.
The governor held a press availability Thursday and stuck with his proposed timetable for the oil companies – alignment under the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act, within two and half months, and by the end of September conclusions on merging with an in-state bullet project and exporting liquefied natural gas on tankers to Asia.
Exxon declined comment, BP says it’s being “responsive” and Conoco praised Parnell for staying the course on reducing oil production taxes.
The governor wants all the parties to the Point Thomas gas field, to settle their legal disputes with the State within three weeks, before the case is scheduled to end up back in court.
Point Thomas has an estimated nine trillion cubic feet of gas, making it essential to a pipeline project.
