Petrobras is the most likely buyer of up to seven of the eight to ten commissioning cargoes from Cheniere’s Sabine Pass LNG export terminal in Louisiana.
Cheniere’s commissioning cargoes have a high ethane content, which is suited for the Brazilian facilities that can fraction the liquids before regasification.
The gas being used for the commissioning cargoes comes from Sabine Pass LNG storage tanks. This means it is old LNG and the boil off gives it a higher ethane content, a source close to Cheniere told Platts.
Lithuania, that was earlier reported as the first destination for the Sabine Pass’ inaugural cargo does not have the capability to handle the high ethane levels.
Cheniere shipped the first cargo to Bazil on February 24. However, the vessel that was initially headed for the Bahia regasification terminal in All Saints’ Bay, Salvador, in the state of Bahia was diverted to the Guanabara Bay LNG terminal, near Rio de Janeiro.
Unlike the Bahia regasification terminal, Petrobras has the infrastructure to handle the high ethane cargo at the Guanabara Bay facility.
LNG World News Staff