Open Season

by Rhonda McBride Tuesday, July 6, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- As of Tuesday, there are two open seasons in progress, a key step in getting Alaska's natural gas to market. The Denali Pipeline Project, a partnership between BP and ConocoPhillips, launched its open season Tuesday. It's a 90-day process that may or may not lead to a natural gas pipeline, during which producers can make offers to ship natural gas through Denali's line. The company's president, Bob Fackrell, says the start of the open season is an important milestone that represents a $140 million investment.

by Megan Baldino Monday, June 28, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- Competing natural gas pipeline firms TransCanada and Denali denied rumors Monday that they plan to merge. The comments come after the Houston Chronicle reported that the two partnerships were in preliminary merger talks. Dave McDowell with Denali said Monday that there has been no discussion with TransCanada or Exxon, while TransCanada vice president Tony Palmer told the Dow Jones Newswires he had nothing new to report.

Gov. Sean Parnell's office has been served a records request regarding TransCanada's natural gas pipeline. Bill Walker, one of Parnell's opponents in the Republican gubernatorial primary, submitted a letter Thursday at the governor's office in Anchorage, requesting documents related to TransCanada's open season negotiations, which began on April 30. During the three-month period, producers are trying to strike deals with TransCanada to ship...

by The Associated Press Monday, June 7, 2010 JUNEAU, Alaska -- Federal regulators have approved plans allowing a second natural gas pipeline project in Alaska to begin seeking shipping commitments. Monday's decision by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission sets the stage for overlapping open seasons by competing projects. TransCanada began its 90-day open season April 30; it holds an exclusive license with the state that provides up to $500 million to advance a project.

by The Associated Press Thursday, May 13, 2010 JUNEAU, Alaska -- TransCanada is having talks with potential shippers for its proposed natural gas pipeline in Alaska. But it's barely two weeks into a three-month long open season, when shipping commitments are sought, and the company's vice president of Alaska Development expects down-to-the wire bids this summer. Tony Palmer said the project is likely to see bids in the last day or two of the open season, which is set to run through July.

by Lori Tipton Friday, April 30, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- The Alaska Gasline Inducement Act's open season officially started Friday. Gas producers can commit to buy transit capacity in AGIA's planned natural gas pipeline during the 90-day period. Gov. Sean Parnell says he is excited to see this process move forward. "I think the open season is a huge milestone," Parnell said. "Never before in our state's history have we had an open season on natural gas. We've been producing oil and gas out of the ground there for 30 years, and re-injecting the gas back into the ground with Prudhoe Bay. " One option under consideration for the open season is a 1,700-mile pipeline from the North Slope to Alberta, Canada.

by Becky Bohrer The Associated Press Thursday, April 22, 2010 JUNEAU, Alaska -- Gov. Sean Parnell plans to decide by May 1 whether to sign a bill the Legislature passed in its final hours to change Alaska's system of taxing oil and gas production together. What he decides is key. The whole push behind legislative efforts to separate oil and gas production taxes was next week's scheduled start of an open season for a major natural gas pipeline. Open season is when producers are courted and shipping commitments sought for the line.

by Christine Kim Wednesday, April 7, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- The Denali natural gas pipeline project announced its plans for an open season Wednesday. The project's president, Bud Fackrell, says it has filed paperwork with federal regulators. The open season period is when the project tries to get gas producers to commit their gas to the pipeline, and is a big step when it comes to getting financing. The Denali Project, backed by BP and ConocoPhillips, is starting out with some concerns, but says its cost estimates will boost shipper confidence.

by Jason Lamb Wednesday, March 31, 2010 ANCHORAGE, Alaska -- A federal agency has given the green light for TransCanada's open season plan to bid for transport of North Slope natural gas under the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act. AGIA outreach coordinator Mark Morones says the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved TransCanada's plan Wednesday. At the end of April, producers will submit bids to the Alaska pipeline project committing to ship their gas through it. The federal approval is another step in AGIA's open season process.

by The Associated Press Wednesday, March 24, 2010 JUNEAU, Alaska -- Weeks after key senators warned that Alaska could lose billions in revenue if it didn't change its system of taxing oil and gas production together, House Democrats said the opposite may be true. Democrats say the state could face financial ruin if lawmakers rush through changes before a natural gas pipeline open season later this year, when producers can reserve space in proposed pipelines. Their conclusion follows a meeting with Alaska's attorney general.