Japan has hired energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie to assess a proposed 800-mile Alaska gas pipeline and liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant, according to two sources with knowledge of the matter.

The move signals Japan’s seriousness in supporting the $44 billion project championed by U.S. President Donald Trump, with the assessment expected to alleviate concerns among potential Japanese investors and buyers about a project that has stalled for decades due to immense cost and logistical challenges. 

According to the Reuters report, the scope and value of the deal with Wood Mackenzie are unclear, and it is unknown if the resulting report will be made public. Japan's Ministry for Economy, Trade, and Industry officials have yet to publicly comment on the developments.

Developers Glenfarne, along with the state-owned Alaska Gasline Development Corp., have also not commented publicly about the ongoing project assessments.  

Since returning to office, Trump has repeatedly promised to advance the massive project, which would transport gas from Alaska's remote north to a coastal plant where it would be chilled and shipped overseas as LNG. 

After a July trade deal with Japan, Trump stated that Tokyo and Washington would form a joint venture to develop the project. Japan, however, has not confirmed such a plan.

Nonetheless, the final terms of the recent trade agreement included a commitment from Tokyo to explore a new offtake agreement for Alaskan LNG. Japan also pledged to make $550 billion in unspecified U.S.-bound investments in sectors like energy and pipelines.

Despite the U.S. president's optimism, Japanese officials and energy leaders have voiced doubts about the project's cost, which they fear could make the gas supply more expensive than other sources. 

Project developers have engaged in talks with several major Japanese companies, including JERA, Japan's largest LNG buyer, Tokyo Gas, Osaka Gas, Mitsubishi Corp., and Inpex, an oil and gas explorer.

"We are continuing to hold close discussions with U.S. officials on the economic viability, a forecast for starting production, and the form of cooperation, in order to realize offtake in a way that benefits both Japan and the U.S.," Japan’s Trade Minister Yoji Muto said in a briefing in late July.

Securing a deal in Japan would significantly boost the project's prospects as the nation is the world's second-largest LNG buyer, a major investor in energy infrastructure, and an emerging trading hub for U.S. gas in Southeast Asia. 

A deal could also unlock financing from state banks like the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, which has previously stated it would consider providing support based on Japanese corporate involvement.

U.S. officials have emphasized the security benefits of the Alaskan project, citing its proximity to Japan and the fact that shipments would bypass sensitive maritime chokepoints like the Straits of Hormuz and Malacca. 

Japan currently gets about 10 percent of its LNG from the U.S. and similar amounts from Russia and the Middle East, with Australia accounting for around 40 percent.

In late May, the developers of Alaska LNG hired Worley, an Australian engineering firm, to perform a final cost estimate, with a final investment decision expected by the end of the year, paving the way for the pipeline's construction to begin next year.