Tellurian’s Driftwood LNG wins non-FTA export approval from DOE

US LNG export project developer, Tellurian has been issued a liquefied natural gas export approval by the United States (U.S.) Department of Energy (DOE).

The DOE’s Office of Fossil Energy has issued the long-term authorization for Tellurian’s Driftwood LNG to export domestically produced liquefied natural gas from its proposed export facility to non-free trade agreement countries.

U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry said, “I am pleased to announce the order signed today authorizing Driftwood, owned by Tellurian, to export up to 3.88 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas as LNG, to any country that does not have a free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States.”

Secretary Perry added that the United States is now in its third consecutive year as a net exporter of natural gas, now exporting domestic LNG to 35 countries.

On April 18, 2019, Tellurian completed another regulatory milestone as the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued an order granting authorization for Driftwood LNG, a proposed 27.6 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) liquefaction export facility near Lake Charles, Louisiana, and the associated Driftwood pipeline, a 96-mile proposed pipeline connecting to the facility.

According to the project’s estimated timeline, the financial investment decision is expected during the course of the year 2019 as well as the start of construction. First liquefied natural gas is expected to be produced at the project in 2023 with construction to be completed in 2026.

The first production phase is planned to have a 16.6 mtpa production capacity.