The US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has granted permission to export gas from a liquefied natural gas (LNG) joint venture by subsidiaries of Exxon Mobil and Qatar Petroleum.
Called the Golden Pass LNG project, it is to be located at the Sabine Pass terminal in Louisiana. It will comprise three liquefaction trains, gas treatment facilities, a self-generation power plant and expansion of the current pipeline.
Irving, Texas-based Exxon is a minority 30% stakeholder in the $10bn LNG export project, with state-owned Qatar Petroleum holding the majority 70%.
Golden Pass LNG would have capacity for 15.6 million metric tons of LNG per annum. It is the fourth LNG export facility approved by the administration of President Barack Obama.
A July Environmental Impact Study (EIS) had found the project would impact 388 acres of wetland but the company pledged to create twice as much new wetland to compensate.
One more official hurdle lies ahead – the Department of Energy must give the nod for exporting to non-Free Trade Agreement countries.
