Report 

Submitted to the 

United States Congress 

by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Sixteenth Report to Congress on Progress Made in Licensing 

and Constructing the Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline

August 2013
Sixteenth Report to Congress on the Alaska Pipeline

I. Executive Summary

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) submits this report

pursuant to section 1810 of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005).1

 Section 1810 

of EPAct 2005 requires that the Commission submit to Congress semi-annual reports 

describing the progress made in licensing and constructing an Alaska natural gas pipeline 

and any impediments thereto. 

This report provides an update from the Commission’s Fifteenth Report, submitted 

on February 28, 2013. That report highlighted TransCanada Alaska Company, LLC’s

(TC Alaska) suspension of the development of the North Slope to Alberta option of its 

planned Alaska Pipeline Project (APP) while it assesses other alternatives to 

commercialize Alaska North Slope gas. One such alternative is the Alaska South Central 

Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Project under consideration to transport North Slope gas to 

a liquefaction terminal at a tidewater location in south-central Alaska.

2

 The pipeline for 

the project would transport between 3 and 3.5 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d), 

providing North Slope gas to Alaskans for in-state use, and ultimately to the LNG export 

terminal that would have an export capacity equivalent to 2.2 to 2.5 Bcf/d.

II. Status Report 

A. TC Alaska’s Proposal

On May 11, 2012, TC Alaska notified the Commission that it was curtailing

interim work on the Alberta option while requesting to maintain the record in Docket No. 

PF09-11 for potential future use.

3 TC Alaska’s April and July 2013 Quarterly Reports to 

the Commission stated that: 1) no stakeholder engagement had occurred in the past 

reporting quarter; 2) pipeline engineering and technology development work initiated to 

date has been completed and documented; 3) engineering deliverables for the Gas 

Treatment Plant have been archived for potential future use; and 4) no environmental 

planning or permitting work had been conducted in the past quarter. 

 1

 P.L. 109-58, 119 Stat. 594 (2005), 42 U.S.C § 15801 et seq.

2 ConocoPhillips Corporation and BP p.l.c. would join TC Alaska and affiliates of 

Exxon Mobil Corporation in the approximately 800-mile-long pipeline – LNG export 

terminal project, estimated to cost approximately $45 - $65 billion. 

3 The open docket will preserve project-specific filings and allow for the 

submission of quarterly status reports by TC Alaska. 
- 2 -

B. The Commission’s Activities

The Commission remains ready to resume its responsibilities as the lead federal 

agency for conducting the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) review of the TC 

Alaska proposal. The Commission continues to monitor activities regarding any natural 

gas pipeline or LNG project in Alaska for which the Commission would have 

jurisdiction. 

The federal permitting agencies are prepared to resume working under the 

Commission’s pre-filing process and to continue the preparation of an environmental 

impact statement once either TC Alaska re-engages its pre-filing activities or another 

entity files an application with the Commission.

III. Related Activities 

Operations of the Federal Coordinator

The Office of the Federal Coordinator for Alaska Natural Gas Transportation 

Projects (OFC) continues to coordinate the actions of federal agencies regarding Alaska 

natural gas transportation projects and to provide a liaison function to ensure 

communication with Congress, the State of Alaska, and federal U.S. and Canadian 

agencies. The OFC provides updates on its website (www.arcticgas.gov) regarding 

national and world-wide natural gas issues that may affect the ultimate disposition of 

Alaskan North Slope natural gas. On May 31, 2013, the Arcticgas website stated that 

environmental and geological field studies would be conducted this summer along the 

northern half of the pipeline route for Alaska South Central LNG Project.

IV. Conclusion

No progress has occurred since the last report on a project bringing Alaskan 

natural gas from the Alaskan North Slope to lower 48 state markets. However, the 

Commission is ready to move forward to the next step in its NEPA process when TC 

Alaska or another entity decides to proceed with a pipeline to serve North American 

markets or embarks on a project to liquefy and export natural gas to foreign markets. 

Until such time or TC Alaska requests otherwise, the Commission will keep TC Alaska’s 

Docket No. PF09-11 open to maintain the existing record and accept filings of quarterly 

status reports and related items.