By SUZANNE DOWNING
March 25, 2026 – Brendan Duval, CEO of Glenfarne Group and a key figure behind the Alaska LNG project, is set to speak Wednesday afternoon at CERAWeek 2026 in Houston, one of the world’s most influential gatherings of energy leaders. The appearance places Alaska’s long-discussed natural gas export project in the middle of a conversation about surging US gas production and growing international demand.
Duval is scheduled to participate in the panel titled “U.S. Gas: Meeting Global Demand” from 2:25-3:05 pm. The session will focus on whether American natural gas supply can keep pace with rising global demand, how infrastructure constraints could affect exports, and what geopolitical, i.e. war, or technological shifts may shape the market.
Glenfarne Group holds a 75% stake in the Alaska LNG project, positioning Duval as one of the most closely watched speakers for Alaskans who pay attention to energy issues. The project, which aims to move North Slope natural gas through an 800-mile pipeline to a liquefaction facility in Nikiski for export, with gas available for Southcentral Alaska, has gained renewed momentum in recent months amid increased global demand for reliable LNG supply and geopolitical uncertainties.
CERAWeek, held March 23–27 in Houston, is widely considered the premier conference for oil, gas, and energy infrastructure decision-makers. Discussions there often shape investment flows, partnerships, and policy direction across the global energy sector. In past years, Gov. Mike Dunleavy, Sen. Dan Sullivan, and Sen. Lisa Murkowski have been featured speakers, but this year, no statewide elected leaders are on the speaker list.
Other speakers at the conference from Alaska:
- Fadil Limani, finance director for the North Slope Borough and former Alaska deputy commissioner of revenue, who has been involved in major public financing and credit initiatives for the state.
- Nikki Martin, now president and CEO of EnerGeo Alliance, previously worked with the Alaska Oil and Gas Association and in Alaska legislative offices.
- Josiah Patkotak, mayor of the North Slope Borough.
- Nikos Tsafos, an energy advisor who previously consulted for the Alaska Legislature on the Alaska LNG project.
5 thoughts on “Glenfarne CEO Duval featured at CERAWeek oil and gas conference. Will he mention Alaska LNG?”
I listened to Chris Wright talk at CERA. He talked like LNG was a miracle energy source and was going to create a utopian society. He did not mention specific projects. I do think if Glenfarne wants to partner with the state of alaska they need to be forthcoming with the economics of the project.
Previous analyses by impartial industry economists have shown that this project had by far the worst economics of any proposed LNG project on the globe. Now, some structural things have changed to improve this slightly, but it is still far from being a barn burner. That’s why you see lots of supply agreements being signed, but no steel being purchased or ground being turned over. The current war-induced LNG market situation will soon stabilize, and is not really material in the long-term price forecasts used to justify a 30+ year cash flow stream. That’s the project’s real problem, as it has been for decades. I would love to see AKLNG happen, but doubt that is will anytime soon. Most LNG projects like this are not 800 miles from the gas source, and that factor alone puts a major dent in the rate of return. But one can dream, and hype…
History is repeating itself and 26 years later, today, the same scenario of life, choices, people, positions, companies’ names and events have changed names but not the human element of money, pretend, greed, what if’s, countries in the world, projects, excitement, under the table money and acquisition agreements. It’s all there and coming round, full circle to the same events unfolding to a new generation of the same life’s choices. The best chapter is called, “When Pigs Could Fly” written by Bethany McLean and Peter Elkind in their famous book called, “The Smartest Guys In The Room” and it was about the famous company called Enron. It’s happening in Alaska today! The main body of actors is in full swing, attempting the same failures of the reporting in the book on Enron and its alliances. The questions today should be asked about how many of these new actors will end up in prison? Bet that is an answer on the horizon but moving fast in the same direction as that company of the past. Some committed suicide, some departed and wen in other directions when the stench of bad decisions and bragging drove the best actors away, but the investigations and trials of companies and people documented in the report from court appearances and records were staggering in the telling of those events.
One thing we all know in Alaska, the LNG will be built when the people of Alaska want it done. The pretending of the companies and people and paper waving and shouting from the podium by CEO’s will not change what the people of Alaska want, when and where the pipe will go and be built. Remember all who listen, Alaska will not be torn apart for your profit and gain.
Correction: The LNG will be built when the economics of the project are good enough to attract major investors.
We get it, Diana, you HATEthe possibility of A gas pipeline. You don’t need to embellish with the Enron story. Go join your soul sister, Giessel