en.Wedoany.com Reported - Cook Inlet LNG, a subsidiary of Louisiana-based independent oil and gas company Gardes Holdings, has initiated the regulatory approval process for a liquefied natural gas (LNG) import project in south-central Alaska that utilizes a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) and existing platform infrastructure to address the region's natural gas demand and storage gaps in the coming years. The company will develop the project in partnership with Glacier Oil & Gas Corp., a long-time producer in Cook Inlet, aiming to provide energy security for the state's densely populated areas while advancing long-term solutions.
Cook Inlet LNG has submitted applications to the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the U.S. Coast Guard, and other regulatory agencies to pave the way for this short-term bridge solution involving an FSRU and existing platform infrastructure. Project lead Rob Bryngelson stated that south-central Alaska will face a severe energy gap within just a few years, and the industry is working to address it. Through the FSRU project, the company aims to meet urgent natural gas supply needs without hindering the long-term gas supply projects currently under discussion. The team has reached key internal milestones and can now join the energy supply discussions with the FSRU project.
The project will maximize the use of existing oil and gas infrastructure in the Cook Inlet basin, initially designed to supply 22 billion cubic feet of natural gas annually to the region. The FSRU will be moored alongside the existing Osprey platform on the west side of Cook Inlet, with natural gas fed into the pipeline system through the platform's existing infrastructure. The anchoring facilities placed on the seabed to moor the FSRU will be the only new structures required for the project. Glacier Oil & Gas Corp. CEO Stephen Ratcliff emphasized that with the southernmost proven existing infrastructure, facilities, and pipelines in Cook Inlet, the company will usher in the next phase, providing an Alaska-led energy solution that leverages its own infrastructure to meet real-time natural gas supply demands while adhering to employee health, safety, and operational environmental standards.
According to the current timeline, the first natural gas from the FSRU project is expected to be available by mid-2029. The project is privately financed, eliminating execution risks for local utilities and ratepayers. Once operational, the cost of gas supply to utilities and ratepayers will be approved by the Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA). One of the state's key future projects is Alaska LNG. Gardes Holdings President Robert Gardes noted that the project maximizes the reuse of oil and gas infrastructure in Cook Inlet that has operated safely for decades, and FSRUs have proven to be a simple, safe solution for filling global energy gaps. Cook Inlet LNG stated that the FSRU will be replenished by LNG carriers approximately every 30-45 days in winter, with longer intervals in summer. All vessels are expected to be capable of operating in the harsh conditions of Cook Inlet.
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