Alaska Natural Gas Pipeline Jobs

If it’s built, the new Alaska gas pipeline (also know as the Alaska Highway Pipeline) could end up running approximately 2,140 miles from Prudhoe Bay to Alberta, Canada. Ultimately, it depends on the route chosen. From there up to 4 billion cubic feet of Prudhoe Bay natural gas per day will enter the United States’ existing pipeline infrastructure. The estimated cost of building the Alaska natural gas pipeline is more than $20 billion dollars!

Project proponents and planners long ago began the initial research and project definition. Public input has been gathered in Alaska and discussions were held in Washington, D.C., Canada, and beyond too. As was the case with the Trans-Alaska oil pipeline, the Alaska Highway Pipeline requires environmental studies, permitting, rights-of-way, contracts and, if ultimately approved, the purchase of pipe and equipment and hiring of employees.

Alaska’s leaders over the years have promoted that the natural gas pipeline project will employ 9,300 people at its peak and require 54 million man hours to complete. The state, of course, is banking on jobs for Alaskans and has already committed to spending millions of dollars on workforce training programs. If past history is any indication then there will be plenty of jobs for non-Alaskans and definitely Canadians too. *If the project is ever approved.

The workers will often be in very remote regions of Alaska, meaning that employers will pay for transportation, lodging, and most likely your food as well. In addition to highly competitive hourly wages and salaries there will be lots of overtime and hazard pay for many. The Alaska gas pipeline will create tremendous job opportunities for skilled and unskilled workers, from engineers to welders and heavy equipment operators.

UPDATE: In 2014, the agreement between Alaska and Transcanada was cancelled in the light of substantially lower prices for natural gas making the pipeline arrangement uneconomic.

A good resource for information on the Alaska gas pipeline is on the Web is Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alaska_gas_pipeline

Keep an eye on JobMonkey and if project picks up steam over the years. We will have all the gas jobs information that is available so you can take advantage of the opportunity.