Arizona signs on to natural gas joint effort with New Mexico, Sonora
Dec 19, 2018, 1:11 PM
(Twitter Photo)
(Twitter Photo)
PHOENIX – Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey and officials from two neighboring governments have signed a four-year interstate agreement in support of the natural gas industry.
Ducey, Gov. Susana Martinex of New Mexico and Sonora, Mexico Gov. Claudia Pavlovich signed the memorandum Wednesday at the Arizona State Capitol.
The agreement commits to continued collaboration and economic development between the three centered on facilitating “continued economic development” in New Mexico’s clean-burning natural gas.
“In Arizona, we know how to collaborate to achieve shared goals,” Ducey said in a statement.
“I’m proud to come together with our neighbors in New Mexico and Sonora to support growing international energy demands through this interstate partnership that benefits our entire region.”
Honored to join not one, but two neighbors to sign a joint agreement to streamline the distribution of natural gas and support economic development. Thanks Gov. @ClaudiaPavlovic & @Gov_Martinez for being great partners. pic.twitter.com/himXpg6zRG
— Doug Ducey (@dougducey) December 19, 2018
Arizona facilities pipe the natural gas from New Mexico to Sonora, where it is then shipped to Asian nations, which are leading importers of liquefied gas.
“Joint work continues to transform our potential into productive, competitive, profitable realities with high social and economic impact,” Pavlovich said in the statement.
Martinez said, “We have worked closely with our partners in Arizona, Sonora, and Asia to open new markets for New Mexico’s natural gas producers and this agreement further promotes economic growth for our state and the region.”
Sonora’s ports are far closer to Asia than U.S. ports in the Gulf of Mexico to the east. Shipping gas from the Pacific coast also would not require a trip through the Panama Canal.
Both Arizona and Sonora have existing pipeline networks that could be used to help transport the fuel.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
