NextDecade LLC has announced that the US Department of Energy (DOE) has authorised LNG exports from the proposed Rio Grande LNG facility to countries that hold a free trade agreement (FTA) with the US.
The facility is a proposed LNG export plant located at the Port of Brownsville, Texas, US. It will cover a 1000 acre industrial site, includes the Rio Bravo Pipeline, and is currently in the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) permitting process.
In response to the application that was filed in December 2015, the DOE authorised the export of 27 million tpy of LNG for a 30-year period on 17 August 2016. This authorisation is subject to Rio Grande LNG’s continued compliance with customary regulatory obligations as determined by all of the relevant agencies.
Alfonso Puga, NextDecade Chief Commercial Officer, said: “NextDecade is well-positioned to meet international demand, and FTA export authorisation is an important milestone towards making a final investment decision in 2017.
“The US has an abundant supply of natural gas and we have found a robust appetite for LNG.”
Edited from press release by David Rowlands