Large Diameter North America Option
The large diameter North America option, falls under the Alaska Pipeline Project (APP), and proposes construction of a gas transmission pipeline from Point Thomson field to link with current gas production at Prudhoe Bay. This transmission line would consist of a 58 mile, 32-inch diameter pipeline capable of transporting 1.1 billion cubic feet per day (BCF/D) of natural gas. A proposed 48-inch, high pressure natural gas pipeline would run 1,700 miles parallel to the existing Trans Alaska Pipeline from Prudhoe Bay to Delta Junction. From Delta Junction, the line would follow the ALCAN Highway, tying into the North American natural gas distribution system in Alberta, Canada.
Quick Facts
Project length:
1,700 miles
Project cost:
$34 to $41 billion
Diameter:
48 inch
BCF/day:
4.5 BCF
Alaska off-take points:
• Livengood
• Fairbanks
• Delta Junction
• Tok
This option includes the construction of a 4.5 billion cubic feet (BCF) per day gas treatment plant (GTP) to clean and condition gas for shipment. Current plans for this facility include four treatment trains, with an initial capacity to treat 5.3 BCF/D of raw gas and deliver 4.5 BCF/D of treated gas for shipment.
To provide access for Alaskans, the North America option will have at least five off-take points which will most likely include: Livengood, Fairbanks, Delta Junction, and Tok. Additionally, residents of the Greater Cook Inlet Area could have access to natural gas from the North American option via a 12 to 24-inch diameter spur line. There are two proposed routes this spur line could run: 1) the Parks Highway from Fairbanks (378 miles) or 2) the Richardson and Glenn Highways from Delta Junction (334 miles). This line would deliver natural gas to the existing ENSTAR Natural Gas Company system in the Mat-Su Valley for distribution to the Cook Inlet region.
The estimated project cost for the large diameter North American option is $32-41 billion.
Success in constructing a large diameter natural gas pipeline will ensure future growth and development of Alaska’s economy. The result will be job opportunities during construction and future revenue as gas is made available to consumers and value added processing, in-state as well as outside buyers. This revenue will be used to cover public services across the state; road maintenance, school funding, and more.