Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin boasted this week that she stood up to Big Oil in advancing a decades-old ambition to bring natural gas to the Lower 48. But experts say she’ll eventually have to sit down with the oil giants if she wants her pipeline dream to become a reality.

“I fought to bring about the largest private-sector infrastructure project in North American history,” Ms. Palin told delegates to the Republican National Convention. “And when that deal was struck, we began a nearly $40 billion natural gas pipeline to help lead America to energy independence.”

Doug Reynolds, an oil and gas economist at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, said the governor has given the natural gas pipeline project new momentum. But her deal with TransCanada Alaska Co. to build the pipeline is useless unless there is also a deal with gas-producing companies to fill it, he said.

“We don’t have an agreement. We don’t have anything,” Dr. Reynolds said.
(snip)
 Experts have estimated the project at $30 billion, but acknowledge that cost could escalate.

 Completing a project of that size “is simply not going to be easy to do,” said Dr. Foss, head of the UT-Austin Center for Energy Economics in Houston.

Mr. Palmer said TransCanada has the financial muscle to build the project on its own, but if producers would commit their product to the pipeline, they would also probably become part-owners. TransCanada and ConocoPhillips are partners on a separate pipeline project in Canada and the United States.

The Alaska natural gas pipeline would be a massive construction challenge, running from near Prudhoe Bay to Alberta, Canada. At 1,715 miles, it would be more than twice as long as the 800-mile Alaska oil pipeline, which was completed in 1977 and cost $8 billion. That oil pipeline crosses three mountain ranges and more than 800 rivers and streams on its route to Valdez, Alaska, where the oil is transferred to tankers.

Dr. Foss says producing the necessary pipe for the new line could require the equivalent output of every steel mill in the world for more than a year.

THE ROVING EYE
All square
By Pepe Escobar

……As far as Palin energizing international relations, that’s a whole new ball game. Can anyone begin to understand Palin’s position on Iraq? Over two weeks ago, in an interview to Time magazine, she rambled on about “the situation we’re in right now, at war, not knowing what the plan is to ever end the war, we’re engaged in, understanding that Americans are seeking resolution in this war effort, so energy supplies being able to produce, and supply will be a big part of that … the plan for the war, you know, let’s make sure we have a plan here …”

Or perhaps Iraq is a mission from God? That’s what she said in June in Alaska, according to wasillaag.net: “Pray for our military men and women who are striving to do what is right for this country. Our leaders, our national leaders are sending them out on a task that is from God, that is what we have to make sure, there is a plan and that plan is God’s plan.”

Born TX 1944, Wellesley '66, Capitol Hill legislative aide to Sen. Ralph W. Yarborough where worked in environmental leg., on first bill to give federal protection to endangered species and preservation of Padre Island and Guadalupe Mts., raised family in Montgomery County, MD, managed a few campaigns for MD legislatures, worked as legislative aide to Del. Gene Counihan, received MD Arts Council award for playwriting, worked on advisory bd to D.C. New Playwrights' Theatre, plays produced there and at National Theatre Monday Night local program, articles in Equus and VA Country magazines, then ran away and joined circus, where managed Misty Family Pony Farm in Chincoteague, VA, now retired in N.TX. near Lake Texoma, blogging, gardening (including small but dedicated veggie patch), travelling, working in congressional campaign for 4th district seat in House for Dr. Glenn Melancon. Ruth blogs at Cab Drollery.