The $44 billion Alaska LNG project is approaching a major milestone with the completion of its front-end engineering and design (FEED) study for an 800-mile natural gas pipeline, expected by December 2025. This development could secure long-term employment and financial stability for Alaska families by creating thousands of living-wage jobs and reducing household energy expenses.
The project involves constructing a pipeline from natural gas fields on the North Slope to a liquefied natural gas export terminal in south-central Alaska. It will serve both export markets in the Pacific region and in-state demand through multiple interconnection points along the route. U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum highlighted the progress during an American Petroleum Institute event.
“There’s a lot of optimism about the Alaska LNG project, and the FEED study should be coming out in December of this year, and I think that we’re going to see a lot of interest in that project,” he said.
ALASKA WATCHMAN DIRECT TO YOUR INBOX
The initiative is a joint venture between the state-owned Alaska Gasline Development Corporation (AGDC) and the U.S. energy firm Glenfarne Group. The Trump Administration supports the project as part of efforts to expand U.S. energy exports and reduce trade deficits with Asian allies. Earlier in 2025, U.S. officials visited Asia to attract investors, with Japanese company Mitsui & Co. considering participation. Glenfarne has secured $115 billion in binding offtake commitments from 50 global energy companies, providing a strong foundation for project financing and operations.
Economically, the project is projected to generate significant employment opportunities that benefit traditional Alaskan families. During the construction phase, it could create up to 10,000 direct jobs, with 1,000 permanent operational positions following completion. Each direct job is expected to support 20 indirect jobs in related sectors, leading to broader economic activity. These roles, primarily in construction, engineering, welding and operations, offer wages well above the state average. In Alaska’s oil and gas industry, average annual earnings exceed $100,000 for many positions, with engineers earning around $141,000 – providing families with the means to afford housing, education and savings without relying on debt.
The influx of these jobs would inject hundreds of millions into local economies annually. For instance, the Nikiski export facility alone could contribute over $300 million in wages and economic output each year. This financial security allows parents to plan for the future, supporting homeownership and family stability in communities from Fairbanks to Kodiak. State revenues from taxes and royalties would further bolster public services, including education and infrastructure that strengthen family life.
For Alaskan families rooted in values of hard work and self-sufficiency, this project represents a practical path to prosperity.
In addition to job creation, the project addresses Alaska’s energy challenges by supplying affordable natural gas locally. Current reliance on imported LNG drives up costs for heating and power, straining household budgets during harsh winters. A recent AGDC analysis shows that the pipeline would deliver gas at or below the cost of imports, potentially saving households and businesses hundreds of dollars annually. This cost reduction – estimated at $8-10 billion yearly in broader economic benefits – frees up family resources for essentials like groceries and child-rearing, rather than volatile fuel prices tied to foreign suppliers.
The project also enhances national security by exporting reliable U.S. LNG to allies like Japan and South Korea, countering dependence on adversarial energy sources. This aligns with the Administration’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” for energy dominance, which prioritizes domestic production to protect American families from global disruptions.
Challenges remain, including Alaska’s high construction costs and the pipeline’s scale, which have made some Asian investors cautious. However, the FEED study will provide detailed cost assessments to address these concerns. Regulatory hurdles persist, with three permits still pending, but the project is on track for a 2026 construction start. Independent reviews confirm that Alaska LNG remains competitive against U.S. Gulf Coast alternatives, with costs 43% lower than some competitors.
For Alaskan families rooted in values of hard work and self-sufficiency, this project represents a practical path to prosperity. It delivers steady jobs, potentially much lower bills, and economic independence, ensuring that future generations can build secure lives in the Last Frontier. As the FEED study concludes, stakeholders must act swiftly to capitalize on this opportunity and safeguard family well-being.
4 Comments
I think you’re over optimistic. I’ve been waiting since 1977 for a gasline, but like most Alaskans have learned to recognize when smoke is being blown up my pant leg. First the Woods Mackenzie study from 2017 said the pipeline would cost $44 Billion and with an 80% government subsidy, the price per million cubic feet would be $3+ over market costs… that’s why in my mind Japan just hired Woods Mackenzie to do a cost analyst for them… as far as the boom and bust private economy cycle, nothing going to change from the last time we did the oil line.
Without capturing taxes from individuals, we’ll educate their kids for free and they will be gone just like the mass Exodus happening over the last 10 years…
History repeats.
Not financially viable with the world awash in natural gas at prices less than a fourth of what the Trans Alaska Gas Line will need at tidewater just to break even. Drilling is happening all over the world. Marcellus, Utica, and Trenton Black River formations on the east coast have more gas and oil than Prudhoe Bay. This pipe dream has cost Alaskans over a Billion dollars and the price needed per MCF keeps going higher and higher. Build a LNG Plant on the North Slope and ship the product over the pole.
It would be nice to see a project like this come to fruition, but carts and horses are in reverse order right now. I was actually a member of the field survey crew for the proposed Trans-Canada Pipeline back in the summer of 2008. That was an “open season” meaning the NEPA Surveys were under way (why I was on the crew) and the project was seeking investment from state and private entities, including seeking domestic contracts to purchase gas (recall that the proposed pipe was to carry gas from north slope to Montana where it would connect with the lower 48 gas distribution network). We’re talking about another project today that hasn’t even gone that far, and it’s as if some people think construction will begin next week. In order to obtain all the environmental permits, fight all the lawsuits (because you better believe every jot and tittle will be litigated to the hilt!), and secure funding and purchase agreements, we’ll have run through Donald Trump and two consecutive Vance presidencies (if we’re lucky enough to get them) and that project STILL won’t be under construction. That’s why I know based solely on the environmental permitting process and my observation of major pipeline works across the country. Working class families in Alaska today will have raised their kids, paid for college, and retired by the time we get there, if we get there, in the imaginary future. I’m not staking my present on that pipe dream.
Sent this to Mia: This state needs a better and no tyrannical governor who is less of a criminal and more business minded than what you portray. You are so busy selling a bill of goods and shoving bad mantra down the throats of the Alaskans you can’t see or hear yourself. You and many other legislative persons have given up your elected powers to a tyrannical governor, slowly taking away your legislative power given to you by election of the people. You have been instrumental in aiding and abetting the break down of those powers. Dunleavy has trampled on the Alaska Constitution and your powers as a legislative elective put in office by your constituents. He has managed everything he wanted through executive orders, lying attorney generals who have had to be replaced and then put into boards under his control and the board’s powers have been rewritten by you and others to serve that same tyrannical governor and purpose Other hired persons of his administration who have proven their loyalty of lying to the public have been rewarded with board positions and huge salaries. Shame on you, Mia! You should be put out of your position in the legislative body because of the position you advocate against the people of Alaska. Recall can’t come soon enough!