Conoco and BP say to team up for Alaska pipeline

NEW YORK, April 8 (Reuters) - ConocoPhillips (COP.N: Quote, Profile, Research) and BP Plc (BP.L: Quote, Profile, Research) on Tuesday said they will cooperate on a natural gas pipeline to link Alaska's North Slope to the lower 48 states, even though the proposed line would be outside the process approved by Alaska's government.

BP and Conoco say they plan to spend $600 million to reach an open season for the pipeline before the end of 2010.

Canadian pipeline operator TransCanada (TRP.TO: Quote, Profile, Research) is the only company to to have cleared the hurdles set by Alaska's government in order to build a pipeline. (Reporting by Michael Erman, editing by Phil Berlowitz)