LNG Exports

North American LNG Facilities Approved (FERC)

North American LNG Import/Export Terminals (Proposed/Potential) (FERC)

Why the Rush To Export

Unlike oil, which has international prices, natural gas is priced based on the supply in the local market. The United States, Canada, Russia, Australia and the Middle East countries have large reserves of natural gas, thus prices for natural gas in those countries are low. European and Asian countries have limited natural gas resources, which results in much higher natural gas prices. This price differential presents opportunity for producers, shippers and countries.

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) project sponsors have been applying to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for authorization to export LNG produced from domestic natural gas and to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for approval to build liquefaction facilities to serve export markets (see map above).

Nine project sponsors have applied to DOE for authorization to export domestically produced LNG to free trade agreement (FTA) and non-free trade agreement (non-FTA) countries, totalling 14.0 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of capacity (see table). As of April 24, 2012, DOE has approved only the proposed Sabine Pass facility to export domestically produced LNG to both FTA and non-FTA countries. Almost all other terminals have received DOE approval to export LNG to FTA countries, but they have not received approval to export LNG to non-FTA countries.




The following LNG off-loading and regasification terminals are located in the United States and Gulf of Mexico:

• Dominion Cove Point LNG, LP, Lusby, Maryland - (Dominion Resources)
• Southern LNG, Elba Island, Georgia - (El Paso Energy)^[15][16]
• Trunkline LNG, Lake Charles, Louisiana - (Trunkline LNG Company, LLC)
• EcoEléctrica, Punta Guayanilla, Puerto Rico^[19][20]
• Golden Pass LNG, rural Jefferson County, Texas - (Golden Pass LNG)
• Sabine Pass LNG, rural Cameron Parish, Louisiana - (Cheniere Energy, Inc.)
• Cameron LNG, rural Cameron Parish, Louisiana - (Sempra Energy)
• Freeport LNG, Freeport, Texas - (Freeport LNG Development, LP)
• Everett Marine Terminal, Everett, Massachusetts - (Distrigas of Massachusetts LLC)
• Gulf LNG, Pascagoula, Mississippi - (El Paso)
• Gulf Gateway Deepwater Port, Gulf of Mexico - (Excelerate Energy LLC)
• Northeast Gateway Deepwater Port, offshore from Gloucester, Massachusetts, licensed by the US Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration (Marad)
• Neptune LNG, offshore from Gloucester, Massachusetts, licensed by the US Department of Transportation, Maritime Administration (Marad)

Proposed LNG Terminals:

• Broadwater Energy, proposed floating terminal in Long Island Sound between New York State and Connecticut
• BlueOcean Energy, 20 miles off-shore from New Jersey
• Bradwood Landing, east of Astoria, Oregon, on the Columbia River
• Oregon LNG, proposed for a site in Warrenton, just west of Astoria, Oregon on the Columbia River
• AES Sparrows Point LNG near Baltimore, Maryland
• Downeast LNG on Passamaquoddy Bay, Robbinston, Maine As of 6 January 2010, Downeast LNG will be one-and-one-half years late in supplying answers to FERC's technical questions arising from the Draft Environmental Impact Statement. FERC's deadline was 6 July 2009.
• Aguirre GasPort LNG Terminal in Salinas, Puerto Rico
• Jordan Cove Energy Project, Coos Bay, Oregon

Producers:

Exxon Mobil
Chesapeake
Southern Energy

Midstream Companies:

Cheniere
Kinder Morgan
Enterprise Product Partners

Utilities:

Sempra Energy
Dominion Resources

Tankers/Shipping

Golar LNG

Cheniere Energy Inc. will be ready to begin producing liquefied natural gas at its terminal in Sabine Pass, La., in late 2015, a step that will lead to the first exports of natural gas extracted in the contiguous U.S. Cheniere reports that construction is about 20% complete on the first two Sabine Pass LNG processing units.

Cheniere has signed contracts to sell 16 million metric tons a year from four processing units at Sabine Pass to customers including Gas Natural Fenosa, Korea Gas Corp. and GAIL (India) Ltd. Cheniere has also agreed to sell 2 million metric tons a year to Total SA at a proposed fifth processing unit at Sabine Pass.

Dominion Proposes to Construct Liquefaction Facilities for Exporting LNG

Dominion is proposing to construct liquefaction facilities for exporting liquefied natural gas (LNG), at its existing Dominion Cove Point LNG Terminal located on the Chesapeake Bay in Lusby, Md. Dominion filed a request on June 1, 2012, with FERC asking to initiate the Pre-filing Process.

Dominion Cove Point received authorization on October 7, 2011, from the Department of Energy to enter into contracts to export liquefied natural gas to countries that have free trade agreements with the United States.

(Wiki, Wall Street Journal, 2/22/2013, Dominion, Seeking Alpha, 1/6/2013, FERC, DOE-EIA)