FERC Approves Second Venture Global LNG Facility
The US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Ferc), in an order handed down September 30, has approved Venture Global LNG’s 20mn mt/yr Plaquemines LNG facility in Louisiana, along with a companion pipeline project that will deliver feed gas to the liquefaction terminal.
The decision was handed down by the three remaining Ferc commissioners, with commissioner Richard Glick dissenting, as he has on several recent Ferc decisions on natural gas projects.
Plaquemines LNG is Venture Global’s second Louisiana LNG export terminal, following on the heels of Ferc’s approval earlier this year of the 10mn mt/yr Calcasieu Pass project, which is currently under construction. A third Louisiana LNG project, the 20mn mt/yr Delta LNG project, is under development and in the pre-filing phase at Ferc.
“Venture Global has become an important participant in Louisiana’s growing LNG market,” Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards said. “With multi-billion-dollar investments on both the eastern and western edges of coastal Louisiana, Venture Global is well-poised for success as the natural gas industry continues to expand here. The LNG industry is an ongoing success story for the Louisiana economy, generating tremendous investments and providing quality, permanent jobs for our skilled Louisiana workforce.”
The $8.5bn Plaquemines LNG terminal will be fed by the twin-pipe Gator Express pipeline, which will have the capacity to deliver nearly 4mn ft3/day of natural gas from the existing US interstate gas transmission system to the liquefaction terminal.
Plaquemines LNG will be developed in two phases, each with 10mn mt/yr of mid-scale liquefaction capacity. Phase 1 is expected to reach commercial operation in 2022, with Phase 2 to follow in late 2023, according to the Venture Global website.