Last week, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved four liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects and related facilities to export natural gas.
Thursday's action on three projects to be located along the Brownsville Ship Channel in Brownsville, Texas, and a fourth project that would expand a currently operating facility near Corpus Christi, Texas, marks a significant addition to the number of LNG export facilities approved by FERC this year. These come in the wake of the commission’s approval of seven other projects earlier this year.
“I’m very proud of the hard work that the commission and its staff have undertaken to continue our processing of LNG applications,” FERC Chairman Neil Chatterjee said in a statement. “The commission has now completed its work on applications for 11 LNG export projects in the past nine months, helping the United States expand the availability of natural gas for our global allies who need access to an efficient, affordable and environmentally friendly fuel for power generation.”
The commission approved, with conditions, three Brownsville Ship Channel projects, proposed by Texas LNG Brownsville LLC; Rio Grande LNG LLC and Rio Bravo Pipeline Company; and Annova LNG Common Infrastructure LLC and three of its affiliates.
Texas LNG Brownsville would build and operate facilities to export approximately four million metric tons per year of natural gas as LNG. The Rio Grande LNG Terminal and associated Rio Bravo Pipeline Project would export 27 million metric tons per year. The Annova LNG Brownsville Project would export up to six million metric tons per year.
The commission also approved, with conditions, a proposal by Corpus Christi Stage III LLC and Corpus Christi Liquefaction LLC to site, build and operate the Stage 3 LNG Project that would allow the company to liquefy for export an additional 11.45 million metric tons per year of LNG at Corpus Christi Liquefaction’s LNG terminal now operating in San Patricio and Nueces counties, Texas.
All four LNG project sponsors have applications pending before the U.S. Department of Energy seeking authorization to export gas to countries without Free Trade Agreements with the United States.
The Commission earlier this year approved LNG projects proposed by Venture Global Calcasieu Pass, LLC; Driftwood LNG, LLC; Port Arthur LNG, LLC; Gulf LNG; Eagle LNG Partners Jacksonville, LLC; Venture Global Plaquemines LNG, LLC; and Freeport LNG’s Train 4 Expansion Project. Four projects are now pending before the Commission.
