The US could become a major LNG supplier to Asia in the future, Toshi Yoshida, global energy partner of Mayer Brown LLP, told a Mayer Brown energy conference in Houston on May 23.

Dominion Resources Inc. sued to confirm its right to construct a natural gas liquefaction plant at its Cove Point LNG terminal in Lusby, Md.

Partners in one of British Columbia’s planned LNG export projects have announced details of the project. Shell, Korea Gas Corp., Mitsubishi Corp., and PetroChina Co. Ltd. said they are developing the proposed LNG export plant near Kitimat, BC.

Excelerate Energy LP, Houston, will develop the first US floating natural gas liquefaction plant for Port Lavaca, between Galveston and Corpus Christi, Tex. The Lavaca Bay LNG project will be designed to export LNG by 2017.

Japan Australia LNG (MIMI) Pty. Ltd. will acquire a 14.7% interest in the Woodside Petroleum Ltd.-operated Browse LNG project, buying the stake from Woodside for $1.9 billion (Aus.).

Following Royal Dutch Shell PLC’s recent deal to sell 17.5% of its Prelude floating LNG (FLNG) project in Browse basin permit WA-44-L offshore Western Australia to Japan’s Inpex Oil & Gas (OGJ Online, Mar. 19, 2012), the supermajor has agreed to sell a further 15% to Asian buyers.

Woodside Petroleum Ltd.’s $15 billion (Aus.) Pluto facilities on the Burrup Peninsula have begun production of LNG in the lead-up to the first sales cargo, although no date for the shipment has been announced.

Sempra Energy subsidiary Cameron LNG signed a commercial development agreement with a unit of GDF Suez SA to develop the remaining liquefaction train planned for the Cameron LNG terminal in Hackberry, La.

US policymakers should not enact legislation or regulations that would either promote or limit additional exports of LNG from the US, a Brookings Institution study issued on May 2 concluded.

Cameron LNG LLC, a unit of Sempra Energy, has awarded a unit of Foster Wheeler AG’s Global Engineering and Construction Group a contract for natural gas liquefaction at Cameron’s LNG terminal in Hackberry, La.

Enagas, Spain’s gas-network operator, has agreed to acquire BG Group’s 40% interest in GNL Quintero SA, operator of an LNG terminal in Chile, for as much as $352 million.

Royal Dutch Shell PLC announced plans for one of its subsidiaries to buy Cove Energy PLC for $1.81 billion in a transaction marking Shell’s entry into Mozambique and Kenya. Shell said the acquisition would provide major LNG project potential from recent gas discoveries offshore Mozambique.

A unit of GDF Suez is studying feasibility of a floating LNG regasification terminal offshore southeastern India for Andhra Pradesh Gas Distribution Corp. Ltd. (APGDC).