DOE Approves Alaska LNG Export Application

June 11, 2008 // Published as a news service by IHS

The application, submitted jointly by ConocoPhillips Alaska Natural Gas Corporation and Marathon Oil Company, requested authority to export up to 99 trillion British Thermal Units of LNG - the equivalent of 98.1 billion cubic feet of natural gas - to Japan and/or one or more countries on either side of the Pacific Rim over a two-year period commencing April 1, 2009 through March 31, 2011.

Under the authority of section three of the Natural Gas Act, any party desiring to import or export natural gas or LNG into or out of the U.S. is required to first obtain authorization from the secretary of energy.

The approval of this authorization, issued under DOE Opinion and Order No. 2500, was predicated on a finding by the secretary that the proposed export has not been shown to be inconsistent with the public interest.

The DOE Office of Fossil Energy Office of Natural Gas Regulatory Activities manages the applications and authorizations for natural gas and LNG imports or exports and maintains statistical data on North American natural gas and LNG trade.

The office identifies developing export and international business opportunities for U.S. private industry, and develops programs and implements policies to enhance the U.S. energy industry's ability to compete in foreign markets. It also promotes technologies and solutions to improve the global environment and increase U. S. energy security, said DOE.

Source: U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Fossil Energy.