U.S. closer to building natural gas pipeline

State officials agreed Friday to key terms of a contract with one of three oil companies negotiating to build a 2,100-mile natural gas pipeline from Alaska through Canada and into the Midwest.

ConocoPhillips, Exxon Mobil and BP applied as a group early last year to negotiate fiscal arrangements to build the $24 billion pipeline. The state would contribute $4 billion and the Legislature would have final say on the contract. The pipeline envisioned by producers would take a decade to build. The line would initially ship 4.5 billion cubic feet of gas per day.

NewsObserver