By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, Mar. 1 -- McMoRan Exploration Co. subsidiary Freeport-McMoRan Energy LLC, New Orleans, Monday filed application to the US Coast Guard for authorization to develop a $440 million, deepwater LNG receiving terminal at its Main Pass energy hub (MPEH), 37 miles east of Venice, La.
The 1 bcfd deepwater LNG port would be accompanied by on-site storage in the 2 mile diameter subsea salt caverns to be leached at the site, enabling the proposed LNG facility to have an aggregate deliverability of 2.5 bcfd, including deliveries from storage.
MPEH is on Main Pass Block 299 in 210 ft of water and near shipping channels. Existing platforms and infrastructure at the site, designed to withstand a 200-year storm event, will be used to house the LNG vaporization and surface storage facilities. Pending timely approvals, facilities could be operational by late 2007, McMoRan said.