Cheniere’s Sabine Pass LNG export terminal in Louisiana has shipped its sixth commissioning cargo to Europe.
As reported by LNG World News, the sixth cargo is being carried onboard Teekay’s first MEGI-powered LNG carrier, Creole Spirit. The 174,000 cbm capacity Creole Spirit left the Sabine Pass liquefaction and export facility on April 15.
The vessel will deliver the chilled fuel to Portugal that imports LNG via the REN-operated terminal in the Port of Sines. Creole Spirit is expected to dock at the Sines LNG terminal on April 26, shipping data by the Port of Sines showed on Wednesday.
Houston-based Cheniere has not responded to an email by LNG World News seeking more information on the matter, by the time this article was published.
Cheniere started exporting LNG from Sabine Pass in February, a major milestone in global LNG trade as the U.S. is set to become a net exporter of domestically sourced shale gas.
However, this will not be the first shipment of U.S. shale gas to Europe as the Swiss-based Ineos said in March it had delivered the first-ever cargo of shale gas-sourced ethane to Europe.
Europe will be the third continent to receive LNG export volumes from Cheniere’s Sabine Pass plant after South America and Asia. Sabine Pass commissioning cargoes have been shipped to Brazil, Argentina and India.
Seventh commissioning cargo
Sabine Pass is expected to load up to eight commissioning cargoes as part of its start-up process, after which it will start to operate commercially.
After the departure of Creole Spirit, Genscape, that has infrared cameras pointed at Sabine Pass, estimates Sabine’s LNG storage level to be at “ 14.3 Bcf, accounting for a 10% fuel use for the compressors “.
“ The BW GDF Suez Brussels is next up to take a cargo from Sabine, expected on April 24, awaiting in the Gulf of Mexico,” the analytics firm said in a note on Monday.
Worth mentioning, the U.S. FERC has on Monday granted Cheniere’s request to introduce feed gas to Sabine Pass LNG’s Train 2 for commissioning.
The company plans to construct over time up to six liquefaction trains, which are in various stages of development. Each train is expected to have a nominal production capacity of about 4.5 mtpa of LNG.
LNG World News Staff