Goldboro LNG project is a ten million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facility being developed in Nova Scotia, Canada. The project will be the first fully-permitted integrated LNG export facility in Eastern Canada to be equipped with gas supplies, a pipeline route, and marine facilities.

Pieridae Energy (Canada) is developing the project, which is estimated to cost between $5bn and $10bn. The company is developing the project with support from its strategic partners including E.ON, Uniper Global Commodities, and ORLEN Upstream Canada.

The environment minister for the Province of Nova Scotia approved the environmental assessment of the LNG export facility in March 2014. Pieridae received the construction permit for the project from Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board in October 2018.

Construction on the project is scheduled to be commenced in 2019, following the closure of the final investment decision. The project is anticipated to commence operations by 2024.

Goldboro LNG export terminal location

The Goldboro LNG facility is being developed on a 265.5-acre site acquired by Pieridae Energy in December 2015.

The site is located in the Goldboro Industrial Park, in the Guysborough County of Nova Scotia. It lies in proximity to the existing Sable Offshore Energy (SOEI) gas plant and 7km away from Meadow Lake, which will provide water supply for the LNG terminal.

Goldboro LNG export terminal details

The Goldboro LNG project will comprise two liquefaction trains with a combined capacity of 10Mtpa and three 230,000m³ LNG storage tanks. Two LNG trains will be developed in the first phase of the project, while an additional train is planned to be developed in the second phase.

The liquefaction trains will receive power supply from an 180MW onsite natural gas-fired open-cycle power plant.

The LNG project also includes a marine terminal, which is capable of accommodating carriers with a capacity ranging between 125,000m³ and 266,000m³. Infrastructure facilities will comprise a 1.8km-long-jetty trestle, two loading berths installed at a common jetty head, and a 220m-long marginal wharf along with a 260m-long causeway.

Gas supply to the Goldboro LNG export project

Natural gas for the Goldboro LNG export project will be provided by the 1,400km-long Maritimes and Northeast Pipeline (M&NP). The feed gas supply pipeline from M&NP is expected to enter the export terminal near the north-east edge of the project site.

National Energy Board of Canada has issued a license to Pieridae Energy to export up to 16.675 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas a year from Canada for a period of 20 years. The company was also issued a license to import up to 11.84bcm of natural gas a year for a period of 20 years.

LNG off-take agreements

Uniper Global Commodities agreed to purchase 5Mtpa of LNG from the first train of the export terminal, under a 20-year sale and purchase agreement signed in June 2013. The agreement was amended in June 2017 to increase the quantity of LNG supply to 4.8Mtpa.

Pieridae Energy signed a ten-year LNG sale and purchase agreement with an undisclosed European utility in May 2018 for the supply of up to 1Mtpa of LNG from the second train of the export facility.

Pieridae also entered a negotiation term with Switzerland-based Axpo in August 2018 for the off-take of LNG from the second train of the export terminal.

Financing for Goldboro LNG export project

The Goldboro LNG project is eligible to receive up to $4.5bn in loan guarantees from the Federal Government of Germany, under its Untied Loan Guarantees (UFK) program.

Contractors involved

Pieridae Energy awarded the front-end engineering and design (FEED) contract to McDermott International for the Goldboro LNG export project in June 2014. McDermott is responsible for the design and engineering of two LNG liquefaction trains and associated facilities required for the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) phase.

Kellogg Brown & Root (KBR) was engaged to review the amended FFED report of the Goldboro project in April 2019. KBR is responsible for preparing the open book estimate required to undertake the EPC contract.

Honeywell Process Solutions was awarded the integrated main automation contract (I-MAC). Its contractual scope includes supply of automation and safety systems for the export terminal.

AMEC Environment & Infrastructure prepared the environmental assessment report for the export LNG facility, while Hatch provided engineering advisory services for the preparation of the construction license of the project.

Pieridae Energy undertook the geotechnical surveys for the project with support from Golder Associates, McNally Construction, Logan Geotech, and Dillon Consulting.