Cameron LNG granted non-FTA approval

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has granted the Cameron LNG (liquefied natural gas) project conditional approval to export to non-FTA (Free Trade Agreement) countries.

The non-FTA agreement will enable GDF Suez to export LNG from the Cameron LNG project in Louisiana, into countries that have no signed a FTA with the US. The project received FTA approval in January 2012. Together, the two approvals will allow GDF Suez to sell LNG produced at the plant to a wider range of partners around the world.

The Final Investment Decision (FID) on the Cameron LNG project is expected to be taken later this year.

Global market
GDF Suez CEO, Gérard Mestrallet, commented: “The decision of the DOE to grant non-FTA approval opens a major opportunity for GDF Suez to further develop long-term LNG sales in a fast-growing global market. Cameron LNG will open new horizons for US gas production that is dramatically boosted by the shale gas revolution and will strengthen GDF Suez position in LNG world market.”

The completion of the environmental impact assessment by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) is expected in the coming weeks as the last approval before FID.

Cameron LNG
In May 2013, GDF Suez signed an agreement with Sempra, Mitsubishi and Mitsui to develop the Cameron LNG Project. Under these agreements GDF Suez will hold a stake of 16.6% in the project and will have a long-term liquefaction capacity of 4 million tpa. The facility should be commercially operational in 2018.

Adapted from press release by Katie Woodward

Read the article online at: https://www.lngindustry.com/liquid-natural-gas/12022014/doe_grants_cameron_lng_non_fta_export_approval_151/