Gulf Coast LNG Minimally Impacted by Laura

LNG facilities along the US Gulf Coast – already in reduced production mode due to the weak global LNG market – appear to have come through Hurricane Laura unscathed.

Laura made landfall near Lake Charles, Louisiana as a Category 4 hurricane in the early hours of August 27, but quickly weakened to a Category 2 hurricane before being downgraded to a tropical storm as it moved inland.

Venture Global LNG, which is building its 10mn mt/yr Calcasieu Pass LNG facility in Cameron, Louisiana, said its project sustained minimal impacts from Laura. Inspections conducted after the storm passed confirmed that the project’s storm protection system, including a perimeter wall and storm water pumping system, performed as designed.

“While we are relieved by the minimal impacts to Calcasieu Pass LNG, we are mindful that the surrounding communities of Cameron and Lake Charles have suffered significant damage from this powerful and historic storm,” Venture Global’s co-CEOs Bob Pender and Mike Sabel said. “As a company, we will be communicating with local stakeholders in the days and weeks to come to assess how we can support the community’s recovery.”

Sempra Energy, whose Sempra LNG subsidiary owns 50.2% of the Cameron LNG facility in Hackberry, Louisiana, said August 27 its Sempra Energy Foundation had pledged $500,000 to Hurricane Laura relief efforts in Louisiana and Texas, with a goal to raise another $1mn by enlisting its partners and others in the energy industry across the region. It made  no mention of any impacts to Cameron LNG, which entered full commercial service as a 15mn mt/yr facility earlier in August.

“Our hearts go out to all the families that have been impacted by Hurricane Laura,” said Lisa Alexander, president of the Sempra Energy Foundation. “We are proud to operate essential energy infrastructure in southwest Louisiana and Texas and are committed to living our company’s values by supporting those communities, and our employees who work and live there, throughout the recovery process.”