The milestone was achieved by the Cameron LNG export facility after starting commercial operations of the third liquefaction train, which was commissioned in May 2020
A rendering of the Cameron LNG export project in the US. (Credit: Sempra Energy)
Sempra LNG and its partners have achieved full commercial operations at the $10bn Cameron LNG export facility in Hackberry, Louisiana, US.
This was after starting commercial operations of the third liquefaction train, which was commissioned in May 2020.
Sempra LNG, which is a subsidiary of Sempra Energy, said that commercial operations of Train 3 mark the start of full run-rate earnings under the project’s tolling agreements. The company expects the Cameron LNG export facility to yield around $12bn of after-debt service cash flows for its parent firm during the 20-year contract period.
The first and second LNG trains began commercial operations in August 2019 and February 2020, respectively.
McDermott International and Chiyoda executed the engineering, procurement and construction of the three trains of the Cameron LNG export facility, under a $6bn contract awarded in 2014.
Put together, the three liquefaction trains have an estimated export capacity of nearly 12 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) or about 1.7 billion cubic feet per day of LNG.
So far, the LNG facility is said to have shipped around 100 cargoes totaling over six million tonnes of liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Sempra LNG CEO Justin Bird said: “At Sempra LNG, we set a goal of building the leading LNG export business in North America. With Cameron LNG moving to full commercial operations, we are one step closer to that goal.
“We look forward to continuing to work with customers and partners around the world to achieve their energy transition goals.”
Stakeholders in the Cameron LNG export facility
Sempra Energy has an indirect stake of 50.2% of the Cameron LNG export facility. Its partners in the LNG project are affiliates of Total (16.6%), Mitsui & Co (16.6%), and Japan LNG Investment (16.6%), which is owned jointly by Mitsubishi and Nippon Yusen Kabushiki Kaisha (NYK).
The partners have embarked on a second phase of the Cameron LNG project, which had previously secured authorisation from the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). Memorandums of understanding (MoUs) were signed by the partners for 100% of the offtake capacity of the second phase without any change in equity ownership.