Cheniere Energy gets approval for Corpus Christi LNG plant

Cheniere Energy LNG plant expected to start operations in 2018

Cheniere Energy received final approval to export liquefied natural gas from its plant in Corpus Christi, Texas Tuesday from the U.S. Energy Department.

Photo: Chad Tongren.

The CCL Project is designed for up to three trains with expected aggregate nominal production capacity of approximately 13.5 million tonnes per annum, three LNG storage tanks with capacity of approximately 10.1 Bcfe, two LNG carrier docks and a 22-mile, 48″ natural gas supply pipeline.

The first train is expected to start operations as early as 2018, with the second train expected to commence operations approximately six to nine months thereafter.

“We have initiated construction on our second LNG export facility, the Corpus Christi liquefaction project, located on the Coastal Bend of Texas along the Gulf of Mexico,” said Charif Souki, chairman and CEO of Cheniere Energy.

“Including our LNG export facility at Sabine Pass, we now have six trains under construction, with first LNG expected at Sabine Pass from Train 1 by year end.”

Federal approval allows the Cheniere Energy plant to export the equivalent of 2.1 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas for 20 years to countries with which the United States does not have a free trade agreement.

“For these major projects, getting to the point of commencing construction represents the culmination of years of dedicated hard work by all of our employees, Bechtel, other strategic partners, and legislative and government officials,” said Souki in a press release.

“We would like to thank all for their efforts and look forward to successful project execution in Corpus Christi.”

The U.S. Energy Information Administration says America could become a net LNG exporter by 2017.

The boom in domestic energy drilling and demand from gas consumers in Europe and Asia has pushed companies to build multi billion-dollar facilities to export the fuel.