FAIRBANKS, Alaska — The Alaska Department of Natural Resources is recommending approval of North Slope pipeline rights of way for two companies that want to truck liquefied natural gas to Fairbanks.
Spectrum Alaska and Polar LNG would need rights of way for short pipelines to move gas to a facility that could process liquefied natural gas.
The State Pipeline Coordinator’s Office determined that both firms are “fit, willing and able to construct and operate a pipeline” to proposed processing facilities.
The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner (http://bit.ly/18MHwpG ) reports the companies are bidding to become partners with the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority for a processing facility. Golden Valley Electric Association and the municipal Interior Gas Utility also are bidding.
The Polar LNG pipeline would run 3.54 miles from the Seawater Injection Plant feed gas line. The pipeline would end at a pad in Deadhorse.
Spectrum Alaska application proposes a pipeline of just 1,100 feet. The line would run from Prudhoe Bay Unit Central Gas Facility to an LNG facility within the restricted Prudhoe Bay Unit operating area.
Ray Latchem, who heads Oklahoma-based Spectrum LNG, said approval of the Spectrum draft was released nearly two weeks before the Polar approval.
“We have secured the land for the project,” he said. “We’re definitely ahead of everybody on land.”
Alaska industrial development spokesman Karsten Rodvik said the state is considering all applications.
“We are still in the process of reviewing all the proposals. Each one has to be analyzed,” he said. “This doesn’t necessarily put one ahead of another.”
Polar’s lease during construction would cover 36.4 acres and 12.9 acres afterward.
Spectrum’s right of way would cover 18 acres of state-owned land during construction and would shrink to about 16 acres.
Public comment on the Spectrum Alaska application is due to the State Pipeline Coordinator’s Office by 5 p.m. Sept. 3. Comment on Polar LNG’s application is due by 5 p.m. Sept. 16.
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