Sempra Energy seeks US FERC pre-filing review for Port Arthur LNG project

Sempra Energy’s subsidiary Port Arthur LNG has asked the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to start the pre-filing review for its proposed Port Arthur LNG natural gas liquefaction and export facility in Texas.

The project will include two natural gas liquefaction trains with a total export capability of about 10 million tons per annum, two 160,000-cubic-meter storage tanks.

Plans also include marine facilities; natural gas liquids and refrigerant storage; feed gas pre-treatment; truck loading and unloading areas; and combustion turbine generators.

Port Arthur LNG has also submitted a permit application to the US Department of Energy (DOE) for authorisation to export the LNG produced from the project to all current and future Free Trade Agreement (FTA) countries.

The company plans to seek approval to export the LNG to non-FTA countries in the coming months.

Sempra LNG president Octavio Simoes said: "We have gained valuable experience working with the FERC during the permitting process for the Cameron LNG liquefaction project in Louisiana.

"If we are successful, this project would provide long-term economic benefits and create new jobs in the region, while strengthening America’s role as a global energy leader."

The project will use a part of Sempra’s 2,900 acres of property with three miles of waterfront on the Sabine-Neches Ship Channel and 1.25 miles of waterfront on the Intracoastal Waterway.

Development of the project is subject to all necessary permits and approvals, securing financing and incentives, reaching a final investment decision and other factors related with the investment.