The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued an order yesterday to Venture Global Plaquemines LNG LLC approving exports of domestically produced liquefied natural gas (LNG) from its Plaquemines LNG project.
The project will be located on the Mississippi River in Plaquemines Parish, La., approximately 20 miles from the Port of New Orleans.
“The increase in LNG infrastructure projects in the U.S. has been astounding to watch,” Secretary of Energy Rick Perry said in a statement. “Projects like Venture Global’s Plaquemines create well-paid, American jobs and have changed the game in sharing the benefits of U.S. LNG with our allies around the world. I am glad the department is doing our part to empower the Plaquemines project and other energy infrastructure to progress quickly.”
Under the order signed Oct. 16, Plaquemines LNG will have authority to export up to 3.4 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of natural gas as LNG from the proposed project. Plaquemines LNG is authorized to export this LNG by oceangoing vessel to any country with which the U.S. does not have a free trade agreement (FTA) requiring national treatment for trade in natural gas, and with which trade is not prohibited by U.S. law or policy. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) authorized Plaquemines LNG to site, construct, and operate the Plaquemines LNG Project on Sept. 30, 2019.
DOE has also approved 38.06 Bcf/d of exports in the form of LNG and compressed natural gas to non-FTA countries. Of this approved amount, approximately 15 Bcf/d of export capacity is in various stages of operation and construction across eight large-scale export projects. Among the LNG export projects currently under construction is Venture Global’s Calcasieu Pass project, which recently reached a final investment decision after having received its final regulatory approvals from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and DOE earlier this year.
The U.S. is the top natural gas producer in the world and is currently producing nearly 92 Bcf/d of natural gas. LNG exports from the U.S. recently reached 5 Bcf/d. These exports are enhancing global energy security while stimulating domestic economic development and job creation.
