Pipeline for US Gas Market

The biggest private natural gas project ever in North America is a planned pipeline that would transport Alaska natural gas to the energy-short United States. The estimated price tag for investors is no small fare: US $15 million to $20 million. US residents now consume about 21.5 trillion cubic feet of gas per year. The new pipeline would be big enough to carry four billion cubic feet of natural gas per day.

There are two possible routes under examination for moving the gas from Prudhoe Bay in Alaska to the US. The first, known as the Alaska Highway project, travels down Alaska, across the Yukon and into Alberta. The second anticipates a pipeline buried in the Beaufort Sea, then turning south to follow the Mackenzie River to Alberta. Both routes would require building a high-volume pipeline from a site near Edmonton to Chicago.

Previous environmental impact studies are 25 years old and new ones must be conducted before any decisions are approved. Critics worry about the pipeline affecting animal migratory patterns and wildlife areas. Planners will also have to address earthquake and spill concerns. It's expected to be at least another five years before the project takes off.
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