Cheniere Produces First LNG From CCLP

Cheniere Energy said November 14 it had produced the first commissioning volumes of LNG from Train 1 of its 22.5mn metric tons/year (mt/yr) Corpus Christi Liquefaction Project (CCLP) in Texas.

The LNG tanker Golar Tundra has been moored at CCLP since the weekend, and is expected to take on the produced volumes as early as tomorrow, according to media reports. Volumes and destination were not disclosed in an email communication to NGW, which confirmed only that the LNG had been produced.

In late October, Cheniere received approval from the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Ferc) to begin commissioning operations at Train 1. And earlier this month, the US Department of Energy approved short-term exports from CCLP to non-FTA countries.

Ferc, however, has yet to authorise full commercial operations.

The first three trains at CCLP, each rated at 4.5mn mt/yr, are currently under construction under an EPC contract awarded to Bechtel Oil, Gas and Chemicals, which has delivered 14 large-scale LNG production trains globally since 2015. Trains 1 and 2 are part of Stage 1 development, which also includes two storage tanks, one complete docking berth and part of a second berth. Stage 2 will comprise the third liquefaction train, a third storage tank and the completion of the second docking berth.  

Stage 3, which contemplates seven mid-scale liquefaction trains to add 9mn mt/yr of capacity, is currently moving through the regulatory process at Ferc.