Alaska, Energy Firms Agree on Pipeline

Alaska has reached a tentative agreement with three of the world’s largest energy companies to build a new pipeline to transport natural gas from the North Slope to the lower 48 states, Gov, Frank Murkowski’s office said Tuesday.

The agreement with the North Slope’s major oil and natural gas operators – BP, ConocoPhillips and ExxonMobil was announced Tuesday by Murkowski, who brokered the deal.

When the pipeline is completed, no earlier than 2012, it could transport 4.5 billion cubic feet per day from the North Slope primarily to Chicago for distribution throughout the United States, The Wall Street Journal reported in its online edition.

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