USA: Cheniere Signs MOU with EDF Trading for Bi-Directional Processing Capacity at the Sabine Pass LNG Terminal

Cheniere Energy Partners, L.P. announced today that its subsidiary, Sabine Pass Liquefaction, LLC, has signed a memorandum of understanding with EDF Trading, a wholly owned subsidiary of EDF S.A., under which EDF Trading intends to contract between 0.7 million tonnes per annum and 1.5 mtpa, equivalent to approximately one to two billion cubic meters of processing capacity at the Sabine Pass LNG terminal located in Cameron Parish, Louisiana.

Under the MOU, EDF Trading and Sabine have agreed to proceed with negotiations of definitive agreements for EDF Trading to contract bi-directional capacity, subject to certain conditions precedent, including but not limited to the receipt by each party of requisite internal approvals, Sabine’s receipt of regulatory approvals and making a final investment decision to construct the liquefaction facilities.

“We are pleased to announce the start of negotiations of definitive agreements with EDF Trading,” said Charif Souki, Chairman and CEO of Cheniere Partners. “Including this MOU we have entered into MOU’s for up to approximately 6.2 mtpa of LNG processing capacity. We look forward to finalizing discussions with additional customers and advancing with our project.”

Cheniere Partners owns 100 percent of the Sabine Pass LNG terminal located in western Cameron Parish, Louisiana on the Sabine Pass Channel. The terminal has sendout capacity of 4.0 Bcf/d and storage capacity of 16.9 Bcfe.

As currently contemplated, the Sabine Pass liquefaction project would be designed and permitted for up to four modular LNG trains, each with a peak processing capacity of up to approximately 0.7 Bcf/d of natural gas and an average liquefaction processing capacity of approximately 3.5 mtpa. The initial project phase is anticipated to include two modular trains and the capacity to process on average approximately 1.2 Bcf/d of pipeline quality natural gas. We intend to enter into contracts for at least 0.5 Bcf/d of natural gas liquefaction capacity per train. Commencement of construction is subject to regulatory approvals and a final investment decision contingent upon Cheniere Partners obtaining satisfactory construction contracts and entering into long-term customer contracts sufficient to underpin financing of the project. We believe that the time and cost required to develop the project would be materially lessened by Sabine Pass LNG’s existing large acreage and infrastructure. We anticipate LNG export could commence as early as 2015.

EDF Trading is a 100% owned subsidiary of the EDF Group. It is a leader in the international wholesale energy markets with its own portfolio of assets. EDF Trading was one of the first entrants into the global traded market for liquefied natural gas. Its LNG trading activity supports the wholesale gas pipeline business in North West Europe, as well as helping diversify the gas supply for EDF’s gas-fired power plants and growing customer base. In Europe, EDF Trading has regasification capacity at the Montoir and Zeebrugge terminals. EDF Trading also has a substantial network of gas pipelines and storage assets across the US.

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Source: Cheniere Energy, January 20, 2011;