Lake Charles LNG gains US DOE nod for more exports

The U.S. Department of Energy said on Thursday it has approved two long-term applications to export additional liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the Lake Charles project in Louisiana.

The Hague-based LNG giant Shell is developing the Lake Charles LNG project with Texas-based Energy Transfer.

DOO approved additional exports in the amount of 0.33 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) from Lake Charles’s proposed liquefaction facility.

The two non-additive authorizations have been issued to Lake Charles Exports, LLC and Lake Charles LNG Export Company authorizing additional exports to any country in the world not prohibited by U. S. law or policy.

The Energy Department previously authorized the Lake Charles companies to export LNG up to the equivalent of 2 Bcf/d of natural gas.

With further engineering of the planned project, additional design capacity has been realized, DOE said.

According to the Lake Charles companies, the construction of Lake Charles LNG project will provide thousands of construction jobs and hundreds of permanent jobs as well.

The Department has now authorized a total of 21.33 Bcf/d of natural gas exports to any country in the world from planned facilities in Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, and the Gulf of Mexico.

The Lake Charles LNG project would further position the US to become a predominant LNG supplier to the rest of the world, DOE said.

Worth mentioning, Energy Transfer and Shell have also on Thursday signed a memorandum of understanding with South Korean LNG importing giant Kogas.

Under the deal, the companies will study the feasibility of joint participation in the Lake Charles LNG export project.

LNG World News Staff