Government of Yukon
Archives
FOR RELEASE #05-050
March 7, 2005
Premier Promotes Northern Pipelines At Arctic Gas Symposium
WHITEHORSE - Premier Fentie will continue to promote Yukon's interests in the Alaska Highway pipeline and Mackenzie gas project at the Arctic Gas Symposium in Calgary today.
Fentie is speaking at the symposium along with N.W.T. Premier Joe Handley, Alberta Premier Ralph Klein and Alaska Governor Frank Murkowski.
Premier Fentie recently returned from a trip to Ottawa in which he and Murkowski continued to press Canada to provide regulatory certainty for the Alaska pipeline. Fentie also urged Canada to provide financial assistance to Yukon and the Alaska Highway Aboriginal Pipeline Coalition.
"Yukon and First Nations require significant resources for pipeline preparedness, as is the case in the NWT," Fentie said.
Fentie also continued to put forward the Government of Yukon's position that both the Alaska and Mackenzie projects must be built.
"There is market demand for northern gas, and two pipelines will provide better opportunity and options for tapping into Yukon’s oil and gas rich northern basins," Fentie said. "The Yukon must be part of both projects."
The timetable for completing the projects will be finalized by the producers. The Mackenzie project is being advanced by the Mackenzie Producers Group – Imperial Oil, ConocoPhillips, Shell Canada and ExxonMobil – and the N.W.T's Aboriginal Pipeline Group.
These partners have completed their feasibility study of the project and have filed applications with the National Energy Board for regulatory review. The Yukon is currently intervening in both the energy board and Joint Review Panel processes to ensure Yukon's interests are met. The project is estimated to be on-stream by 2009-2010.
The Alaska Highway pipeline is currently being advanced by the Alaska North Slope producers – BP, ConocoPhillips and ExxonMobil – and pipeline companies, including TransCanada Pipelines Ltd. and Enbridge. It is currently estimated that the AHP will be on stream by 2012.
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| Contact: | |
| Peter Carr | Tara O’Donovan |
| Cabinet Communications Advisor | Energy, Mines & Resources, Communications |
| (867) 667-8688 | (867) 667-5809 |
| peter.carr@gov.yk.ca | tara.odonovan@gov.yk.ca |