A Korean government delegation visited the Alaska Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) project site to assess its viability.
According to the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy on the 8th, a Korean government delegation including Lee Ho-hyun, director general for Energy Policy, returned home after attending the 4th Alaska Sustainable Energy Conference held in Anchorage, Alaska, from the 2nd to the 3rd.
During the visit to the United States, an inspection of the Alaska LNG project, which is strategically promoted by the Trump administration, was conducted.
A representative of the delegation noted, "Through the inspection, we were able to directly observe the project area and listen to explanations about the project plan."
The inspection was accompanied by U.S. officials as well as government representatives from Korea, Japan, Taiwan, and the Philippines. POSCO INTERNATIONAL and other Korean corporations attended the event, but due to local circumstances, corporate representatives were reportedly unable to accompany the site inspection.
The delegation reportedly confirmed the feasibility of sufficient gas reserves and the potential installation of a pipeline approximately 1,300 km long, which are prerequisites for the Alaska LNG project.
Currently, at the Prudhoe Bay oil field, gas is also extracted during the oil drilling process. However, this gas is not commercially usable and is being reinjected into the wells. This process increases the pressure in the wells, thus enhancing oil recovery efficiency, according to U.S. officials.
Reports indicate that the feasibility of pipeline construction was also reviewed. Domestically, there are many observations that the permafrost in Alaska makes it unsuitable for gas pipeline installation.
The U.S. side is reportedly planning to construct a gas pipeline along the existing 1,300 km oil pipeline that connects northern and southern Alaska.
Although this site inspection marks the first onsite visit, a thorough assessment of viability and site confirmation was not accomplished. A representative of the delegation reported, "No negotiations or consultations related to the Alaska gas field took place during this visit to the United States."