BG Group, ETP get FERC approval for Lake Charles LNG

BG Group’s Lake Charles LNG export project has received approval from the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to construct and operate a natural gas liquefaction and export plant in Lake Charles, La. BG Group is developing the project with Energy Transfer Equity LP and Energy Transfer Partners LP. Energy Transfer owns an existing LNG regasification terminal in Lake Charles, which will be converted to a liquefaction plant.

The project has conditional authorization from the US Department of Energy for the export of up to 2 bcfd of natural gas, roughly 15 million tonnes/year of LNG, to non-free trade agreement nations (OGJ Online, Aug. 8, 2013). BG Group and Energy Transfer expect to make final investment decisions in 2016, with construction to start immediately following and first LNG exports anticipated about 4 years later.

BG believes the brownfield site and the ready supply of gas from the US grid will give the project a competitive advantage. Energy Transfer will own and finance the proposed plant while BG Group will be responsible for the offtake. Energy Tranfer subsidiary Trunkline Gas will provide pipeline transportation services to supply the plant.

The companies filed with FERC in March 2014.