Freeport LNG poised to export 1st cargo in July as world looks to US
Freeport LNG Development LP should be ready to ship its first export cargo in July, at the beginning of the 2019 hurricane season and nearly two years after flooding from Hurricane Harvey helped cause a delay for the Texas facility. Freeport LNG CEO Michael Smith said in a March 11 interview on the sidelines of the CERAWeek by IHS Markit conference that his company expects to begin flowing feedgas to the facility in April or May, with first LNG ready to load in July.
Alaska LNG developer ties up with BP, Exxon to advance $43B project
Alaska's state gas corporation struck an agreement with oil giants BP PLC and Exxon Mobil Corp. to advance the estimated $43 billion Alaska LNG liquefaction plant and pipeline project, amid concerns that the project might be shut down if it does not secure enough customers. The agreement involves cooperation among Alaska Gasline Development Corp., BP and Exxon Mobil to improve the project's competitiveness and obtain the approval of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for project construction, according to a March 8 news release.
Cheniere gets approval to start service on Sabine Pass train 5
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on March 12 authorized a fifth LNG train to enter commercial service at Cheniere Energy Inc.'s Sabine Pass export terminal in Louisiana as part of a significant expansion of the company's business. First commercial delivery is scheduled for August, under the terms of the partnership's sale and purchase agreements with Centrica PLC and Total Gas & Power North America Inc.
Cheniere gets OK to introduce feedgas to 2nd Corpus Christi LNG train
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved a request from a Cheniere unit to introduce feedgas to the second liquefaction train of its Corpus Christi LNG export terminal in Texas, a significant step toward bringing the facility online in the second half of 2019. The March 11 authorization of the Corpus Christi Liquefaction LLC request came 10 days after FERC allowed the first LNG production train at the Corpus Christi terminal to start commercial service.
February gas flows to US LNG plants fell amid facility tests, but will soon rise
Daily natural gas flows to the three operational U.S. LNG export plants continued to slide in February after falling the previous month, a drop-off that coincided with commissioning work at two Cheniere gas liquefaction trains in Texas and Louisiana. Total average gas deliveries to the U.S. LNG facilities fell to about 3.53 Bcf/d in February, down from about 3.75 Bcf/d in January, and down from about 4.15 Bcf/d during December 2018, as shown by pipeline flow data from S&P Global Market Intelligence.
Schedule shows Kinder Morgan's Elba Island LNG project faces more delay
The Elba Island LNG export project near Savannah, Ga., is facing additional construction delays, with commissioning activities expected to stretch beyond Kinder Morgan Inc.'s anticipated in-service date and into the second quarter, according to regulatory filings by subsidiaries developing the facility. "We are continuing to work toward an in-service date that is near the end of the first quarter," Kinder Morgan spokesperson Katherine Hill said March 7.
Tellurian evolved with global LNG market, CEO says
Tellurian Inc. President and CEO Meg Gentle oversees a different kind of U.S. LNG export project. The Driftwood LNG project mainly relies on equity partners that would buy stakes in the terminal and get LNG that they could use or resell, instead of relying on long-term LNG contracts and banks. The project would produce 27.6 million tonnes per annum of LNG.