The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) conditionally authorized the Alaska LNG Project LLC to export domestically produced LNG to non-Free Trade Agreement (FTA) countries, the department said May 28.

In the Nikiski area of the Kenai Peninsula, Alaska LNG can export the equivalent of 2.55 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas for 30 years.

The Natural Gas Act directs the DOE to grant natural gas export authorizations to non-FTA countries unless the department finds that proposed exports “will not be consistent with the public interest.” Federal law generally requires approval of natural gas exports to FTA-compliant countries.

The DOE considered Alaska LNG’s application separately from other currently pending LNG export applications in the Lower 48, due to geographic isolation of Alaska North Slope’s natural gas resources. Alaska LNG’s project will make stranded North Slope gas accessible to consumers, the department said.

The full conditional authorization for Alaska LNG can be found here.