Cheniere to export first US LNG in January 2016

Reuters has reported that Cheniere Energy estimates that it will start to receive natural gas at its US Sabine Pass LNG terminal by the end of 2015. The gas will then be cooled into LNG, and will be ready for export by January 2016. This will represent the first of many US shale gas (as LNG) exports.

According to Reuters, The CEO of Cheniere, Charif Souki, said: “We will ship our first cargo sometime in January.” Souki also added that the Cheniere will begin offering cargos a month from December 2015.

Reuters also claims that once the plant is in action, a new LNG production train will start up every six months until mid-2019. This will total seven lines of gas liquefaction at the plant. Combined with the terminal in Corpus Christi, Texas, these trains will produce approximately 50% of the US’s total export capacity of 65 million tpy of LNG.

Cheniere has received permission to build an additional two trains, but has not made a decision on whether or not to proceed with construction. Souki commented: “I'm pretty sure the market will come back […] You don't make a decision like this based on what's happening in the next six months. You make a decision based on what you think is going to happen over the next 20 years.”

Edited from various sources by David Rowlands

Read the article online at: https://www.lngindustry.com/liquefaction/26102015/cheniere-to-export-first-us-lng-in-january-2016-1524/