FAIRBANKS — The commissioner of the Alaska Department of Natural Resources defended the state’s natural gas pipeline efforts and promoted Outer Continental Shelf drilling Thursday, saying both are in the country’s best interests.

Tom Irwin cautioned against dependence on foreign oil and underdeveloping Alaska’s resources in a speech at the Alaska Miners Association symposium at the Westmark Hotel.

He said the U.S. could “shut down” in a matter of weeks if Middle Eastern oil producers cut off their supply.

“We can argue if we want development or not,” he said. “But those arguments go away when we go to anarchy.”

Irwin suggested combining renewable energy, such as wind power, with developing offshore reserves and natural gas as Alaska’s best direction.

“We need to be wise enough to know what to do if they — the ‘they’ who are bringing oil into our country — turn off the spigot,” he said.

Alaska can make a major contribution through its North Slope natural gas, he said.

“It’s the energy of the future,” he said. “It’s clean energy. It’s the baseload energy for the very world we’re part of.”

Irwin promoted the state-backed gas line, a TransCanada project proceeding under the Alaska Gasline Inducement Act. He conveyed confidence in an AGIA pipeline because of the recent inclusion of Exxon Mobil.

“I hear these naysayers saying, ‘Oh, it won’t work. It can’t work. We’re right,’” he said. “They’re right if we stop. We can defeat ourselves. The key is: You don’t stop at open season,” the point later this year at which gas suppliers can commit their gas to a project.

Of the Denali gas pipeline project by ConocoPhillips and BP, he said, “It’s great to have competition.”

Irwin expressed dismay at the repeal of a federal policy that would have lifted the decades-long ban on offshore drilling this year.

He cited figures that show a possible 27 billion barrels of oil available on the Outer Continental Shelf off the North Slope.

Interior Secretary Ken Salazar has said new plans for opening Outer Continental Shelf drilling will be released by the end of March.

Though Irwin spoke eagerly about developing a gas pipeline to Lower 48 markets, he urged patience for the prospect of an in-state “bullet” line to bring natural gas to the Interior.

“We need to study this,” he said. “We need to study (hydroelectric power). We need to look at all our alternatives.”

Getting a cost, schedule and tariff are the first steps, he said.

Irwin’s speech also touched on other areas under the Department of Natural Resources authority.

The former general manager of the Fort Knox Gold mine near Fox congratulated the mine on 3 million work hours without an accident that caused a worker to lose time.

Echoing Gov. Sean Parnell’s comments from Wednesday, Irwin railed against federal regulations that he believes restrict responsible development in Alaska. He encouraged the mining community to become more politically involved.

As head of a department that includes agricultural, wildlife and forestry responsibilities, he added that a balance between the environment must be found for development to be successful.

“My kids and grandkids are here,” Irwin said. “They can’t stay in Alaska if the don’t have work. They don’t want to stay in Alaska if we screw it up.”

Contact staff writer Joshua Armstrong at 459-7523.