The Golden Pass liquefied natural gas (LNG) import terminal located in Texas, US, is being expanded to add an export facility.

The expansion project was proposed in 2012 and is being developed by Golden Pass Products LLC, a joint venture of affiliates of Qatar Petroleum (70%) and Exxon Mobil (30%). It was approved in October 2012 by the Department of Energy, US, for the export of LNG to countries having Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the US.

The $10bn project received the final environmental impact statement from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) in July 2016. Final investment decision on the project was taken in February 2019.

The export facility will have a production capacity of 16 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) of LNG and an operational life of 25 years. Construction is scheduled to be commenced in the first quarter of 2019, while completion is slated for 2024.

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Golden Pass LNG export terminal location details

The export facility will be built adjacent to the existing LNG facility, which is located 16km south of Port Arthur in Jefferson County, on the western side of the Sabine-Neches Waterway in Texas, US.

It will be constructed on a 919-acre site along the Sabine Neches waterway and integrated with the existing LNG import terminal.

Golden Pass export terminal details

The LNG export facility will include three 5.2Mtpa liquefaction trains comprising six gas turbines and 12 centrifugal compressors. Each liquefaction unit will include associated power and utility systems, which will be integrated with the existing LNG import facility.

A refrigerant and condensate storage tank, a feed gas pre-treatment facility, a supply dock, and a marine delivery facility along with a truck unloading facility are also part of the plant. The feed gas pre-treatment facility will include a mercury removal system, an amine system, and a heavy hydrocarbon removal system.

The storm protection levee system of the existing LNG facility will be expanded and the safety and security equipment will also be modified under the expansion project.

Infrastructure details

A new 4.8km-long pipeline with a diameter of 24in will be constructed adjacent to the existing 111km Golden Pass pipeline. The pipeline and associated facilities will cover an area of 99 acres and will be integrated with the existing pipeline.

Three new compressor stations will be built and those of the existing Golden Pass pipeline in Jefferson and Orange Counties in Texas, and Calcasieu Parish in Louisiana will be modified. Further, five new pipeline interconnections will be developed for the export facility.

The new pipeline will provide a bi-directional flow of 2.6 billion cubic feet per day of gas for the Golden Pass import-export LNG terminal.

Gas transportation

The existing Golden Pass LNG import facility imports gas from various domestic sources including Haynesville, Eagle, Permian, Marcellus, Barnett, Ford Bossier, Utica, and Mid-Continent natural gas basins.

Golden Pass Products signed a 20-year agreement with Enable Gulf Run Transmission for the delivery of 1.1 million dekatherms per day (Dth/d) of gas. The latter’s Enable Gulf Run Pipeline will interconnect with the Golden Pass Pipeline in Louisiana.

Another 20-year agreement was signed with Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America (NGPL) for the delivery of 340,000Dth/d of gas.

The LNG from the new Golden Pass export terminal will be exported to various countries including Australia, Canada, Israel, Jordan, Korea, Mexico, Oman, Panama, and Singapore.

Contractors involved in Golden Pass LNG export terminal project

Golden Pass LNG awarded the engineering, procurement, and construction contract for the project to a joint venture of Chiyoda International, McDermott International, and Zachry Group in February 2019.

The front-end engineering and design contract was awarded to Chiyoda International and CB&I in July 2014.

Golden Pass LNG awarded a contract to Baker Hughes, a subsidiary of GE, to supply the turbo-machinery equipment in February 2019.