US FERC to prepare Port Arthur LNG EIS

The U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has released a notice of its intent to prepare an environmental impact statement (EIS) that will discuss the environmental impacts of the Port Arthur liquefaction project and associated pipeline.

The Commission will use this EIS in its decision-making process to determine whether the projects are in the public interest and public convenience and necessity, FERC said in the notice.

Port Arthur LNG, a unit of Sempra, recently filed an application with the FERC seeking long-term authorization to export 517 billion cubic feet of natural gas per year to non-free trade agreement countries.

The amount is equivalent to 10 MTPA of the chilled gas and Port Arthur LNG request authorization to export for 20 years from its facility it intends to build and operate in Port Arthur, Texas.

Earlier in March, Port Arthur LNG filed an application with U.S. Department of Energy and FERC seeking authorization to export LNG to countries with which the U.S. have a free trade agreement.

The project facilities are anticipated to include feed gas pre-treatment facilities, two natural gas liquefaction trains, three 160,000 cubic meter LNG storage tanks, marine facilities for vessel berthing and loading, refrigerant make-up and condensate product storage, truck loading and unloading areas, and equipment for self-generation of electrical power.

Each of the natural gas liquefaction trains will be capable of producing up to 5 MTPA of LNG for export, for a total capacity of up to 10 MTPA.

LNG World News Staff; Image: Port Arthur LNG