Coast Guard inspectors checked out the Cameron Liquefied Natural Gas facility in southwest Louisiana, as developer McDermott International prepares for a major milestone with feeding gas into the plant in the first quarter of 2019.
The Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Lake Charles personnel conducted a facility safety inspection at Cameron LNG Tuesday, part of preparations for the facility to load its first LNG cargo for global export. The Coast Guard has established regulatory jurisdiction in the Marine Transfer Area (MTA) for all waterfront facilities handling LNG in bulk quantities to or from a vessel.
The safety inspection included a review of the facility’s design, construction, equipment, operations, maintenance, personnel training and firefighting systems. Cameron LNG also submitted its Marine Operations Manual and Emergency Manual to the Coast Guard for examination.
"Facility safety inspections are a key part of the Coast Guard’s mission to facilitate safe and secure commerce on our nation’s marine transportation system," said Lt. William Hickey, MSU Lake Charles' Chief of Prevention. "Thanks to the transparent communication and diligent preparation by Cameron LNG, the inspection went smoothly, and we applaud Cameron LNG’s ongoing commitment to safety.”
McDermott and Chiyoda Corp. are building the $10 billion facility in a 50-50 joint venture, to handle up to 14 million tons of LNG annually. This week McDermott announced it expects to take a $168 million charge in the fourth quarter of 2018 over cost overruns on the project, citing problems in labor productivity, and increases in subcontracting, commissioning and construction management costs.
