U.S. energy regulators gave Cheniere Energy Inc permission to take steps needed to put the sixth liquefaction train at the U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) company’s Sabine Pass LNG export plant in Louisiana into service.
Specifically, the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved Cheniere’s request to introduce gas and commission the Train 6 fuel gas system.
Cheniere has said Train 6 will enter commercial service in 2022 but analysts note the unit will likely start producing LNG in test mode later this year.
Cheniere is the biggest LNG exporter in the United States and is also the country’s biggest buyer of natural gas.
In addition to Sabine, which will have the capacity to produce around 30 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of LNG once Train 6 enters service, Cheniere also owns the three-train, 15-MTPA Corpus Christi LNG export plant in Texas.
One MTPA of LNG is the equivalent of around 0.66 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas.
Source: Reuters (Reporting by Scott DiSavino; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)