Nigeria LNG Takes FID on Train 7

Nigeria LNG (NLNG) has taken a long-delayed final investment decision to build a seventh export train of 4.2mn mt/yr and debottlenecking other trains, which will add another 3.4mn mt/yr. The expansion will boost Nigeria’s liquefaction capacity by 35% from 22.5mn mt/yr to 30.1mn mt/yr.

NLNG’s shareholders, Nigeria’s NNPC, Italy’s Eni, France’s Total and Anglo-Dutch Shell were present during a signing ceremony for the FID in Abuja on December 27. These same international companies signed agreements earlier this month to buy gas from the train, reflecting the changing market conditions for project finance of LNG plants.

NLNG launched its sixth train more than a decade ago. The seventh train was initially expected to be sanctioned in 2018.

“We shall build more trains and increase Nigeria’s LNG capacity to match our peers around the world,” NLNG chairman Osobonye LongJohn said at a ceremony.

NNPC’s managing director Mele Kyari added that Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari had directed NLNG to push ahead with plans for five additional trains after the seventh. “This is a gateway to more investment in Nigeria,” he said. We will take steps to get to Train 12.”

Eni is a founding partner of NLNG with 10.4% share. Other partners are NNPC (49%), Shell (25.6%), and Total (15%). This project will also add more than 1mn mt/yr of capacity to Eni's global LNG portfolio.