USA: Freeport LNG Inks 20-Year LTA with BP

Freeport LNG Expansion said that it had entered into a binding 20-year Liquefaction Tolling Agreement (LTA) with BP for 4.4 million tons per annum (mtpa), equivalent to the production capacity of the second train of Freeport LNG’s proposed natural gas liquefaction and LNG loading facility on Quintana Island near Freeport, Texas.

The LTA with BP will commence upon completion of construction of the second liquefaction train.

“We welcome BP’s more than 30 years of global LNG industry experience investing in, developing, constructing and operating facilities across the entire LNG value chain,” said Michael S. Smith, Chief Executive Officer, Freeport LNG.

In July 2012, Freeport LNG executed LTAs with Osaka Gas Co., Ltd. and Chubu Electric Power Co. for a total of 4.4 mtpa. The Osaka Gas and Chubu Electric LTAs commence upon completion of construction of the initial liquefaction train.

“The combination of BP, one of the world’s leading international oil and gas companies, with our existing customers, Osaka Gas and Chubu Electric, two of the largest natural gas and electric utility service providers in Japan, provides us with extremely strong counterparties with which to seek financing,” continued Smith. “With the first two liquefaction trains of the project fully contracted, we intend to approach the financing markets imminently so that we can begin construction on the initial two-train facility as soon as we receive FERC approval.”

“BP is very pleased to have the opportunity to work with Freeport LNG, Chubu Electric and Osaka Gas on U.S. Gulf Coast LNG exports. We believe that this is an attractive value proposition and a complementary position to BP’s existing portfolio of equity and 3rd party LNG contracts. We look forward to serving our LNG customers with even more flexibility from our portfolio of natural gas,” said Paul Reed, Chief Executive Officer, BP Integrated Supply & Trading.

[mappress]
LNG World News Staff, February 12, 2013