FERC Green-Lights Golden Pass LNG Export Terminal in Texas

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Researched by Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Golden Pass Products LLC got some good news this week when the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved its planned liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminal and associated pipeline near Sabine Pass, Texas.

Owned by affiliates of Qatar Petroleum International Limited (Doha, Qatar) and Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE: XOM), Houston, Texas-headquartered Golden Pass Products plans to build a three-train LNG facility at its existing import terminal, with a combined capacity of 15.6 million tons per year, and a project price tag of more than $1 billion.

Golden Pass received approval from the Department of Energy (DoE) in 2012 to export LNG to Free Trade Agreement (FTA) countries. Golden Pass is seeking approval to export to non-FTA countries.

In gaining FERC approval, Golden Pass overcame the objections of the Sierra Club, saying that since the new facilities would be built next to its existing import terminal, the environmental footprint would be minimal. Completed in 2010, the existing import terminal is located about 10 miles south of Port Arthur in Jefferson County, Texas, on the Sabine-Neches Waterway. The existing facility includes a dedicated slip to accommodate two LNG ships as well as dock and loading facilities for the ships. The facility also includes five storage tanks, two LNG processing trains and advanced vaporization systems. The expanded facility would be able to export and import LNG.

Construction of Train 1 of the export facility is currently expected to kick off in mid-2017, with completion in late 2019. The proposed Train 3 project could see completion in mid-2023.

However, the growing glut in global LNG supply could have an impact on the construction timeline. Industrial Info is tracking more than $140 billion in U.S. oil and gas production and pipeline projects related to LNG terminals.

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