Japanese Resource Developers Eye Port Mac

The GM of one of the world’s richest resource development corporations visited Port MacKenzie Tuesday with an executive from another Japanese company that is seeking to invest in natural resource development and energy infrastructure in Alaska.

Hidehiro Muramatsu is GM for JOGMEC, a Japanese institution that invests $17.7 billion annually in gas, oil, and mineral projects worldwide. The company’s full name is Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation.

Eiji Maezawa is Vice President with Resources Energy Inc., a Japanese company that seeks to supply Cook Inlet natural gas to energy thirsty Japan. One project is building a $700 million to $1 billion liquefied natural gas plant at Port MacKenzie.

JOGMEC financially backs Japanese companies to explore and develop natural gas and provides project financing for asset acquisition and development similar to Alaska’s AIDEA but on an exponentially larger scale.

JOGMEC also met this week with the State of Alaska on a methane hydrate project.

Matanuska-Susitna Borough officials walked the Japanese businessmen through Port MacKenzie Tuesday.

“This visit highlights the importance of Port MacKenzie in the whole energy infrastructure of Alaska,” said Matanuska-Susitna Borough Manager John Moosey. “Port MacKenzie is ideal for large energy projects because of its space, deep draft, and strategic location.”

The shorter shipping distance of Alaska to Japan is ideal over other American states.

JOGMEC is already backing three LNG projects in the U.S. in Maryland, Louisiana, and Texas for the short term LNG needs of Japan. These projects would supply some 17 million tons per year of LNG. Japan may need some 87 million tons per year. JOGMEC is looking at Alaska as a long-term supplier.

Two LNG pipeline projects are in the news in Alaska right now, the ASAP and the Alaska LNG project.

The company, REI, plans to initially export 1.1 million tons per year of LNG, from Cook Inlet but as North Slope natural gas becomes available REI could have the infrastructure and the land available at Port MacKenzie to accommodate more than 5 million tons of LNG exports to Japan per year. REI is conducting marine evaluations and geotechnical studies on land on the south side of Port MacKenzie.

Port MacKenzie is the largest resource development port in Alaska. Its 14-square miles of industrial area provide space for large projects. The deep draft dock can accommodate large vessels such as LNG ships and super Panamax size vessels.

Top photo left to right, Assistant Borough Manager George Hays, Borough Manager John Moosey, GM Hidehiro Muramatsu of JOGMEC, Eiji Maezawa Executive Vice President REI, Inc., and Borough Mayor Larry DeVilbiss.

Middle image: Hays shows Japanese art to visitors Muramatsu and Maezawa while Borough Mayor Larry DeVilbiss and Borough Auditor James Wilson share a laugh with the group.

Photos by Stefan Hinman/MSB.

For more information call Patty Sullivan, Public Affairs Director, 355-0103 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.