Cheniere asks US to approve Corpus LNG exports
Cheniere Energy on Friday said it filed an application with the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for authorization to build and operate a liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facility in Corpus Christi, Texas.
The proposed Corpus Christi project is being designed for up to three liquefaction trains with an aggregate peak capacity of 15 million tpy, the company said.
Cheniere had previously received approval from the FERC in December 2011 to commence the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) pre-filing process for the Corpus Christi project.
Cheniere also filed applications with the US Department of Energy requesting authorization to export up to 782 million MMBtu of LNG per year (equivalent to 15 million tpy) from the proposed Corpus Christi project to all current and future countries with which the US has a free trade agreement as well as to any country with which the US does not have such an agreement.
The Corpus Christi project is being designed for up to three liquefaction trains, three 160,000 m3 full containment storage tanks, and two LNG carrier docks.
“After an eight month pre-filing process with the FERC, we have determined that our site at Corpus Christi meets all of the requirements of an attractive liquefaction project,” said Charif Souki, CEO of Cheniere Energy.
The Corpus Christi project would also include a 23-mile associated pipeline that would connect the Corpus Christi terminal to multiple interstate and intrastate pipelines.
“FERC is the lead agency in the permitting process and we expect to complete the permitting process within 18 months,” the CEO added.
“We have also initiated applications for permits with other cooperating agencies including the DOE and other federal and state agencies as required. Our application with the FERC is the second such application filed to date.”
Cheniere is already developing a liquefaction project adjacent to the Sabine Pass LNG terminal for up to four liquefaction trains with aggregate export capacity of 18 million tpy.
The Sabine Pass export plant, located at the Texas/Louisiana border, is the only project in the lower 48 states to have approval to export US natural gas overseas.
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