Cheniere Files for Corpus Christi LNG Expansion

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Written by Daniel Graeber for IIR News Intelligence (Sugar Land Texas)

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Summary

Four new trains could be added to Cheniere's Corpus Christi facility. That would boost its net export capacity by around 24 MTPA.

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Cheniere May Need More Feedstock

Four large-scaled liquefaction trains could be added to its Corpus Christi, Texas, liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facility, Cheniere Energy said in a federal filing. As of now, the facility boasts a net liquefaction capacity of 18 million tons per annum (MTPA).

In a Thursday filing with the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Committee (FERC), Cheniere said it wanted to add four new liquefaction units, or trains, to the facility that would combine for a peak production capacity of 24 MTPA.

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Cheniere in the filing said the Corpus Christi expansion project (CCPL) will include a new pipeline and compression facilities that would allow for the increase in the facility's capacity for feedstock by around 3 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d).

"The main components of the Corpus Christi Pipeline Expansion Project include:

• Corpus Christi Pipeline (CCPL) 42" Pipeline Loop: A new 42-inch-diameter, approximately 26-mile-long pipeline from the existing Sinton Compressor Station to the CCL Stage 4 Project.
• Sinton 2 Compressor Station: Construction of a new compressor station adjacent to the existing Sinton Compressor Station.
• Interconnect Facilities: Metering and flow control infrastructure between existing and new facilities."

The filing with FERC marked a "pre-application phase" for the overall environmental review process. Cheniere aims to get the project sanctioned by May 2027.

During a January summit hosted by the American Petroleum Institute, Cheniere said it's on pace to surpass 5,000 cargoes of LNG and 10 Bcf in natural gas processing capacity by the end of the year.

"There's room for significant growth," Cheniere's Chief Executive Officer Jack Fusco said.

Cheniere is set to report its fourth-quarter results on February 26.

IIR Energy in its NATGAS Today report for Friday showed Corpus Christi received 2.37 Bcf/d of feed gas, meaning it was running at 99% of its peak capacity. It does not appear the facility suffered any curtailments from the sub-freezing weather from Winter Storm Fern at the end of January.

LNG Floodgates Are Open

The planned additions to Corpus Christi come amid signs that the 2020s marked the start of a rush in LNG projects globally. The United States is the clear leader in LNG exports, helping to support European energy security since the start of the war in Ukraine saw the bloc lose legacy supplies from Russia because of sanctions.

As of Friday, the amount of feedstock running to the operational LNG export terminals reached 18.8 Bcf, well above federal forecasts pointing to an expected average of around 16 Bcf/d for this year.

U.S. President Donald Trump singled out LNG in one of his first moves on his return to the White House last year for his second, non-consecutive term. From Alaska to Gulf Coast facilities, the president sees LNG as an integral part of his pursuit of global energy dominance.

Recent disputes with Western allies over Greenland, a member of NATO, raised questions, however, over whether Europe simply switched its over-dependence from Russia to the United States.

A recent study by the Oxford Institute for Energy Studies (OIES) found that, while the United States is the current leader in LNG export capacity, Canada is first in terms of projects that are ramping up. It's LNG Canada facility began delivering cargo last year and the Woodfibre facility is about 60% completed.

The U.S. Gulf Coast is second in the profile from OIES, with a handful of new LNG export facilities in the works.

By the Numbers

• 24 MTPA addition possible for Corpus Christi
• Four new trains would be required
• 3 Bcf in additional feed gas

Key Takeaways

• FERC vetting Cheniere's request
• Canada trying to catch up in the LNG race
• Room for even more growth, Cheniere said

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About IIR News Intelligence
IIR News Intelligence is a trusted source of news for the industrial process and energy markets, powered by Industrial Info Resources' Global Market Intelligence (GMI).

About Industrial Info Resources
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 250,000 current and future projects worth $30.2 Trillion (USD).