The approval allows the project to export LNG to to any country with which the US has not entered into a free trade agreement

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The LNG project is expected to complete all federal reviews and authorizations by the end of the year. (Credit: SatyaPrem from Pixabay)

Alaska Gasline Development Corporation’s (AGDC) $38.7bn Alaska LNG Pipeline Project has secured final authorisation for gas exports.

The approval from the US Department of Energy (DOE) allows the project to export LNG to all countries, including those without US free trade agreements (FTA).

The announcement follows the US Department of the Interior (DOI) issuance of rights-of-way permits for the project last month.

The Alaska LNG is an integrated project, which involves construction of about 1,400km of pipelines.

It also includes construction of a 20 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) liquefaction facility at Nikiski, Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, US and a gas treatment plant in the Prudhoe Bay.

The natural gas produced at the Prudhoe Bay and Point Thomson oil and gas fields on the Alaska’s North Slope will be supplied to the project.

The natural gas treatment facility of the project will have three process trains with a total average capacity of 3.5bcf a day.

All federal reviews and authorizations for Alaska LNG to be completed by end of 2020

DOE Deputy Secretary Mark Menezes said: “I am proud to sign this export authorization that allows a path for the otherwise stranded gas resources on the North Slope of Alaska to be made available both to the people of Alaska and to the export market.

“Major infrastructure investments like the Alaska LNG Project will bring long-term benefits to Alaskans, the United States, and to importing nations.”

Furthermore, the project is expected to complete all federal reviews and authorizations by the end of the year.

In June, AGDC reduced the cost estimate for the Alaska LNG project by 12% of $5.5bn from the previous estimate of $44.2bn.