The approval marks regulatory process’s important component needed to develop Texas LNG’s project on its 110+ acre site with deepwater frontage to the Port of Brownsville shipping channel in Brownsville, Texas, US.
Texas LNG, with the approval which lasts for 25 years, will now export about 2 million tonnes per annum of domestically produced LNG.
Texas LNG CEO Vivek Chandra said the DOE approval is an important regulatory milestone for the company’s project.
"LNG exports will play an important role in the continued development of the US gas industry and our Texas LNG project will provide valuable employment and other economic benefits to Brownsville and the Rio Grande Valley region," Chandra added.
Meanwhile, Samsung Engineering has been selected by Texas LNG to deliver pre-front end engineering design and front end engineering design (FEED) services for the project.
FEED is expected to be completed n the second half of 2015 while plans to engage open book cost estimating to allow the execution of a fixed price EPC contract to be signed at final investment decision on the project.
Samsung will offer technical studies and documentation to support Texas LNG’s Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) permit pre-filling application process.
Texas LNG expects to formally start the FERC pre-filing permitting process in the second half of 2014.