Proposed to be constructed at the entrance of the US Gulf Coast near Cameron, the Commonwealth LNG project is expected to have nominal liquefaction capacity of 8.4mtpa
Image: FERC formally accepted the filing application for the Commonwealth LNG project. Photo: courtesy of Carlo San/Freeimages.com.
Commonwealth Projects said that the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has formally accepted the filing application of its proposed Commonwealth LNG project in Louisiana.
The liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminal project is proposed to be built on the west bank of the Calcasieu Ship Channel, at the mouth of the US Gulf Coast near Cameron.
The Commonwealth LNG project calls for the construction of a liquefied natural gas plant made up of six gas liquefaction trains and associated facilities. The LNG export terminal is planned to have a nominal liquefaction capacity of 8.4 million metric tonnes per annum (mtpa).
Commonwealth Projects chief operating officer Robert Powers said: “This is a major achievement which we could not have done without the support of our partners, TechnipFMC, TRC, Blue Engineering, Orrick and countless others who have contributed to this substantial effort.”
More details of the Commonwealth LNG project
Each of the six LNG trains at the Commonwealth LNG facility will have a liquefaction design capacity of approximately 1.4mtpa.
The LNG export terminal will also have six LNG storage tanks, each having a capacity of 40,000m3, and a marine loading berth, capable of loading LNG carriers up to a capacity of 216,000m3. A new 4.9km long, 30inch diameter pipeline will also be built to enable existing intrastate and interstate pipelines to deliver natural gas for liquefaction at the Commonwealth LNG project.
Commonwealth Projects is expected to reach a final investment decision on the LNG project in the fourth quarter of 2020 and is expected to start operations from it in the first quarter of 2024.
Commonwealth Projects president and CEO Paul Varello said: “FERC’s formal acceptance of Commonwealth LNG project’s filing application marks another significant milestone achieved by the Commonwealth LNG team and represents an important step in progressing the project and moving closer to a final investment decision.”
In June 2019, subsidiaries of Commonwealth Projects and Gunvor Group signed a heads of agreement (HOA) pertaining to the LNG terminal. The HOA is expected to pave way for the negotiation and finalisation of a definitive 15-year liquefied natural gas (LNG) sale-and-purchase agreement (SPA) for 1.5mtpa of LNG offtake from the Commonwealth LNG project.