By ROBERT SEITZ
Sept. 12, 2026 – I don’t know how many different ways there are to tell those legislators who have halted the move to prosperity with stupid considerations which have nothing to with the project or the investors. The Alaska Oil and Gas Association conference was held two weeks ago and one word describes the result of the conference: Certainty.
There is certainty that there is sufficient natural gas on the North Slope of Alaska to be able to flow a lot of gas for a long time to the world and Alaska. There is Certainty that a majority of Alaskans support proceeding with the AkLNG project. There seems to be certainty that a majority of Alaskan are supportive of a clean property tax bill that would clear the way to encourage investors to join the project.
But we seem to have Certainty that they don’t want to support the will of the people, Alaskans. Sen. Cathy Giessel is more concerned with the bad that might happen rather than the good that is certain to happen. Just because prostitutes are likely to come to Alaska because the big project is here is not a reason to stop the project. There would be no growth or progress if we stopped every time prosperity was about to be released.
Glenfarne and its contractors have nothing to do with the social and moral behavior of the people in Alaska except for those working on their job sites. Camp followers are a part of Alaska history ever since the Klondike gold rush. There are those in our society who can and will deal with problems that arise because of the presence of prosperity.
It is a certainty that when businesses and business owners are overtaxed in some location they will take their business and their money to some other location where they are encouraged to accumulate some wealth to invest in that community. Now is the time to provide the conditions asked for by those who will finance the work.
If the conditions they have requested are not provided it is a certainty that they will leave the project behind, undone, with no prosperity. There are other competing LNG projects that are lined up and our opportunity will be erased and used by another project that is backed by certainty.
Dunleavy Derangement Syndrome cannot be so intense that logic and reason and care for Alaskans are not sufficient to tip the scale to allow the passage of a simple bill. Maybe we have some legislators who are not really Alaskans. They’ve lived here a long time but never really acclimated to our state. I tell people that many people have arrive in Alaska who were Alaskan as soon as their feet touched the ground, while many remain strangers in our land.
As usual, when I write about North Slope Natural gas I also bring up Cook Inlet Gas. When the LNG project is built and in full production it is important to ensure Cook Inlet gas is still in full production. The Cook Inlet gas will still be the less expensive gas for South Central. When the ESG messaging was in full force, developers and financiers were greatly discouraged to support oil and gas development, so work ceased and oil and gas production in Cook Inlet dropped off considerably.
John Hendrix through Furie and Hex has been reversing this trend for a few years and he is asking for some certainty. Hex has been drilling two or three wells each some for a few years with the desired result of increased natural gas production. The one thing that must happen when a gas well is drilled is that gas must be flowed from the well and sold. Cook Inlet gas producers need certainty that their gas will be bought so the producer can continue to drill more wells to have more gas to produce. The Cook Inlet natural gas is critical strategic Infrastructure for the state and must be remembered as such when decisions and discussions and made concerning Cook Inlet gas. We must remember to ensure some certainties to keep people and businesses interested in working the gas fields for as long as they can hold out.
Alaska has to depend on our legislators and governor to ensure the opportunities for resource development always exist as the state of Alaska holds the key to the resources, unlike states where individuals can own both surface and subsurface rights. When our officials are not proactive in the resource development that is needed to ensure continued prosperity, our royalty amounts decrease and the treasury reaches a stage where no meaningful budget can be developed and services to the citizens are not consistent. Alaska needs an active and robust economy and anyone who interferes with this process is working against Alaska citizens.
I was certain 50 years ago that the major oil companies in Alaska would build a gas pipeline. We knew it would be expensive, but we also knew we could build it once the companies got together to figure out how they wanted to do it. Our elected officials got involved in interfering. They wanted to tax the oil companies more than they were taxed already. That created uncertainty for the producers, so that 50 years later we still have no gas pipeline.
Private people and private enterprise initiate the business activities that make a difference. Our government needs to provide the means to allow the people and business to turn their visions into reality.
Prospectors searched the land for features, for outcroppings and other signs for gold or other ore. Once a prospector found enough evidence that he had found something of value he could stake a claim. There are rules and methods for filing claims, set up by the government, so that the prospector had certainty that the claim he staked was his mine. The prospector turned miner arranged for his financing to obtain equipment, hire helpers, and ship his ore and whatever else was needed. With gold strikes when many miners were all doing good everybody did good and stores were built and homes were built and families moved to be nearby.
The Trump Administration has improved our certainty with regard to oil and gas development and transport in Alaska. Land transfers have occurred, ensuring the land our pipelines are built on will not be under federal control. That provides certainty into the future to ensure the flow of resource to market.
Life in Alaska depends on certainty. We are certain our rifles and ammunition are good and will shoot when necessary, because we keep them in good repair and check them out before we go.
If by some means our legislators get together one more time and find a way to make the tax bill pass, clean, and as requested so that Glenfarne is able to go out and make deals, sign contracts and order equipment and materials, I am certain they will all be remembered thanked for the opportunity they provided for Alaskans.
Robert Seitz is a professional electrical engineer and longtime Alaskan.
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12 thoughts on “Robert Seitz: Alaska’s natural gas future depends on certainty, and certainly not on delay”
The AKDemocrats are delaying the gas pipeline so someone else (Not America) can build it and own it. You’ll see if they get their Democrat Governor. Their care for Alaskans and America is as little as how little the Russian government cares for its indigenous population because you know if they kept Alaska there been no ANCSA no ANMC no SouthCentral no tribal government and no chance to employment us Descendents will be dirt poor living the lowest of low of society. Well these AKDemocrats are no different they are holding out so someone else can build the gas line not Americans and not Alaskans.
If Alaskans and the ANCSA group crowd of Alaska Natives were smarter and more literate they’d see the truth, today’s AKDemocrats care nothing about them and they’d vote differently.
With American corporation as Alaskans we had that chance to benefit from Glenfarne building it because they’ll put not only Alaskans to work but also other Americans from other states to work and we’d have New gas on the market.
I gave up on Glenfarne when I tried to analyze their stock options and found they had been delisted for a impropriety involving another company and subsequent SEC violations, which reduced them to a private company according to AI google.
There are gas fields still untapped in Cook Inlet and Susitna areas we should pursue instead of 42 inch 800 mile pipeline that may take many years to build.
Boomer. All your college education years didn’t give any wisdom nor any literacy to know who is the Real enemy. Boomer you don’t have many years left anyway to live out your’s and your generation useful idiots from GenX and millennials poor leadership decisions.
The advantage of the North Slope gas is that it already has been produced and is ready to ship. and there is a lot of it, available to sell. the problem with Cook Inlet gas is producers were discouraged from finding new gas so we need the incentives for producers to explore and find new gas.
Seems like our selfless legislators will be unable to pass gas line legislation until our governor is a registered democrat. We certainly can’t have prosperity at the hands of a republican. Better for Alaskans to suffer through a few more sessions until we are grateful and appreciative.
Bingo and by who Am Democrats want to develop it and call it progress. Alaskans are so stupid they’ll let it be an investor who keep it not only the gas but also the money for their own country.
Just wait and see
Gave up on Glenfarme and state government when they wouldn’t provide that sense of certainty by answering our often-asked questions, which any prudent investor would be expected to ask.
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Last we asked was August 3. Nothing since…
Questions are here: (https://thealaskastory.com/david-ignell-the-lng-project-boils-down-to-transparency-and-trust/)
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Maybe it was easier to let the thing die than answer questions about it?
Nothing will be right for Alaskans. They desire unrealistic Perfection. Alaskans are stupid that they’ll be happy when a foreigner comes in and sweet talks us into letting his company develop our country’s resources with us getting very little back from the development
I’d certainly like to see a defensible cost estimate from Glenfarne. Would any fiscally conservative buy something with public money without knowing the cost?
fortunately public money is not being sought. they are looking for private , free market, private. enterprise investors. the eventual estimates will be worked out between investors. there is no way to get to intricate details until the building begins and the problems are discovered
I thought this thing was a barn burner. Shovel ready, partnership agreements in place, LNG purchasers lined up. two years until 800 miles of big bore comes to the rescue. Blah, blah, blah. And now we’re all told that the project can’t go ahead without an itty bitty property tax relief package? If that’s in fact the case, how robust can this investment really be?
Smells to me like Glenfarne is either attempting to extort money from Alaskans, or they are looking for an excuse to shelve an uneconomical project and get their fees repaid by the State, as they are entitled to do.
Speaking of Glenfarne, where have they been lately, anyways? It’s been pretty much crickets for quite some time.
Will someone please lineup the necessary LNG import facilities and contracts, pronto? Alaskans are feelin’ the chill, and there is a strong smell of panic in the air.
This project is bigger than the Trans Alaska oil pipeline. They had problems they never knew about until after construction started. The property tax problem is not itty bitty. It can be a big problem if cities try to collect property tax before gas is flowing to provide an income from the gas flow. All funds nee t be directed towards construction and start up. We need to look at these with positive attitudes