The US Department of Energy (DOE) issued four long-term orders, authorizing the export of domestically produced LNG from four proposed LNG export projects in Texas: Annova LNG, Rio Grande LNG, and Texas LNG, all located in Brownsville, TX; and Corpus Christi LNG’s Stage III in Corpus Christi, TX.
Under the orders issued, the following authorization holders will have the authority to export the volumes of natural gas as LNG in billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) as shown below:
- Annova LNG Common Infrastructure, LLC (0.99 Bcf/d);
- Rio Grande LNG, LLC (3.61 Bcf/d);
- Texas LNG Brownsville, LLC (0.56 Bcf/d);
- Corpus Christi Liquefaction Stage III, LLC (1.59 Bcf/d).
These entities can now export LNG from their projects by ocean-going vessel to any country with which the US does not have a free trade agreement requiring national treatment for trade in natural gas, and with which trade is not prohibited by US law or policy. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission authorized the siting, construction, and operation of these export projects on November 21, 2019.
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Record levels of natural gas production in the US continue to enhance global energy security while providing domestic benefits, including infrastructure development and job creation. As a matter of fact, the US is now in its fourth consecutive year as a net exporter of natural gas, and has quickly become one of the top global exporters of LNG.
To date, the US has exported LNG to 37 countries and is on track for its export capacity to almost double in the next 5 years.
As for the projects, if built to capacity, the Rio Grande LNG project, including the connected Rio Bravo pipeline, is expected to create more than 5,000 jobs during peak construction and represents infrastructure investment in excess of $15 billion. The Corpus Christi expansion is expected to create 2,400 jobs during peak construction, Texas LNG expects to employ 600 construction workers, and Annova LNG expects to employ 1,200 workers during peak construction.
US Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette, commented on these projects, saying that:
The export capacity of these four projects alone is enough LNG to supply over half of Europe’s LNG import demand. With today’s authorizations, we are paving the way for more U.S. natural gas exports to bring energy security and prosperity to our allies around the world
