NuBlu Energy started construction of its PortAllen, La., natural gas liquefaction plant, a facility with a planned capacityof 90,000 gallons of LNG a day that will supply the local area.

The company said in an Oct. 6 news release that the project willsupport "high-horsepower fueling applications," including rail,marine, trucking, power generation and backup of gas distribution systems. Thefacility does not have customers yet.

NuBlu Energy General Partner Josh Payne said the plant's purposeis to prove the company's technology.

"We want to put supply closer to the customer so you don'thave to pay a bunch of money to transport it," Payne said in an Oct. 11interview. He said the company hopes to expand the Port Allen plant andeventually spread into markets across the country and internationally.

The facility has an initial start-up capacity of 30,000 gallonsa day. It is expected to be operational in the second quarter of 2017.