The US Department of Energy has approved a long-term application to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Delfin LNG’s proposed floating LNG terminal in the Gulf of Mexico.
Development of the first offshore project off Cameron Parish, Louisiana, which will export 1.8 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of natural gas, will include the construction of floating liquefaction and storage vessels.
“I am pleased that with this authorization the Administration can continue to strengthen the United States as a dominant energy force with further exports of our abundant amounts of natural gas,” Rick Perry, US Secretary of Energy, said.
With the rapid increase in domestic natural gas production, the United States is transitioning to become a net exporter of natural gas.
The Department of Energy has now authorized a total of 21 Bcf/d of natural gas exports to non-free trade agreement (non-FTA) countries from planned facilities in Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, and now, with Delfin, from the Gulf of Mexico.
This increase in US natural gas production is expected to continue, with the US Energy Information Administration’s Short Term Energy Outlook projecting an average dry natural gas production rate of 74.1 Bcf/d in 2017, the second highest on record.