TEPCO to Buy LNG from U.S. Cameron Project

As a result of discussing the purchase of LNG from the U.S. Cameron Project with Mitsui & Co, TEPCO has agreed on the initial terms and conditions of the transaction.

TEPCO is also in the final discussion with Mitsubishi Corporation to reach a basic agreement on the purchase of lean LNG from the project. The company will continue discussions with Mitsui & Co., Ltd. and Mitsubishi Corporation towards the conclusion of the final sales contract, TEPCO said in a statement.

In accordance with the contracts, TEPCO will be purchasing an annual amount of approx. 800,000 tons and an optional amount (under discussion) of LNG starting from 2017 for the period of about 20 years. The natural gas linked price is planned to be applied to the price index for the first time in a TEPCO long-term LNG contract, the company said.

The U.S. Cameron Project is an LNG project being planned in the State of Louisiana by Cameron LNG, a subsidiary of Sempra Energy. Mitsui & Co., Ltd. and Mitsubishi Corporation are currently in discussion with Cameron LNG regarding a tolling agreement of processing shale gas produced in the U.S. . Once the final sales contract is concluded between TEPCO, Mitsui & Co., Ltd. and Mitsubishi Corporation, it will significantly contribute to our stable procurement of LNG.

Based on the policy “Develop action plans towards the introduction of a significant amount of lean LNG, including the LNG to be exported from the U.S, which will comprise about half of the entire procurement amount (maximum of 10 million tons/year)” which is stated in the “Intensive Reform Implementation Action Plan” developed last November, TEPCO has considered multiple LNG supply sources including American LNG in order to achieve the introduction of lean LNG.

In addition to approx. 800,000 tons (annual) of lean LNG to be purchased from the Cameron Project, approx. 1.2 million tons (annual) will be committed through purchases from multiple sources, which will be a total of 2 million tons of lean LNG to be secured. We consider this as the first step towards achieving the target of 10 million lean LNG, TEPCO said.

Upon introducing lean LNG, the operation of TEPCO’s receiving terminals will be reviewed and the facilities will be modified in order to achieve more flexible and stable operations of lean LNG procurement while making efforts to achieve diversification in supply sources and economical procurement.

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LNG World News Staff, February 07, 2013; Image: Cameron LNG