Alaska confident about gas pipeline

JUNEAU, Alaska, Nov. 5 (UPI) -- The TransCanada natural gas pipeline for Alaska is on schedule despite economic concerns and alternate options in gas shale, Alaskan officials said.

Alaska expressed optimism about the prospects for the TransCanada Corp. project to bring natural gas from the North Slope to customers in the Lower 48 states.

A report from state legislature indicates the pipeline will have gas commitments finalized by the end of July, the Juneau Empire reports.

Mark Myers, who oversees a state body tasked with natural gas pipeline development, said Alaska has seen a "considerable uptick" from TransCanada Corp. activities, lending to state optimism about the project.

Alaska Gov. Sean Parnell has pushed for development on the proposed natural gas pipeline. The Republican governor also met with leaders in Washington in September to expand offshore drilling on the continental shelf, which boasts an estimated 27 billion barrels of oil.

The cost of development and alternate resources in the Lower 48 brought pessimism regarding Alaska's ambitions.

The TransCanada project is expected to cost at least $26 billion.