Sempra Energy has asked FERC to begin the prefiling review of its proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminal in Port Arthur, TX, and associated natural gas pipeline project. NextDecade LLC made a similar filing for its LNG project in Brownsville, TX.

The Port Arthur LNG project is designed to include two liquefaction trains with a total export capability of 10 million tons per annum of LNG, or 1.4 Bcf/d of natural gas; two 160,000-cubic-meter storage tanks; marine facilities for vessel berthing and loading; natural gas liquids and refrigerant storage; feed gas pre-treatment; truck loading and unloading areas; and combustion turbine generators for self-generation of electricity.

Port Arthur also last week filed a permit application with the U.S. Department of Energy for free trade agreement (FTA) export authorization. It said it also plans to file in the coming months for non-FTA export authorization.

Sempra LNG successfully permitted Cameron LNG, which is now in construction. Port Arthur LNG is one of three other liquefaction projects being developed by Sempra Energy. The other projects are the proposed expansion of Cameron LNG with trains No. 4 and No. 5 and liquefaction facilities at the existing Energia Costa Azul in Baja California, Mexico (see Daily GPI, Feb. 19; Nov. 5, 2014).

“We have gained valuable experience working with the FERC [Federal Energy Regulatory Commission] during the permitting process for the Cameron LNG liquefaction project in Louisiana,” said Sempra LNG President Octavio M. Simoes.

The Port Arthur project would use a portion of Sempra’s 2,900 acres of property with three miles of waterfront on the Sabine-Neches Ship Channel and 1.25 miles of waterfront on the Intracoastal Waterway [PF15-18]. The site previously was evaluated and certified by FERC in 2006 for a proposed import regasification facility and pipeline and also was permitted by the Texas Department of Transportation for the potential relocation of a portion of State Highway 87.

Port Arthur Pipeline LLC is proposing to develop a natural gas pipeline project consisting of two separate 42-inch diameter segments that would interconnect with intra- and interstate pipelines to the north and south of the liquefaction project. A prefiling application for the pipeline was also made last week [PF15-19].

Separately last Friday, NextDecade LLC made a prefiling request at FERC for its Rio Grande Liquefied Natural Gas terminal proposed for the Port of Brownsville, TX, and associated Rio Bravo Pipeline project (see Daily GPI, March 9).

Rio Grande LNG, a wholly owned subsidiary of NextDecade, is a multi-billion dollar land-based LNG export project located on a 1,000-acre site along the Brownsville Shipping Channel [PF15-20].

NextDecade’s proposal includes up to six liquefaction trains with a nominal output capacity of 4.5 million tonnes of LNG per train a year. The facility would be constructed in phases timed to meet market demand. The proposed 129-mile Rio Bravo Pipeline would supply the facility with its feed-gas, connecting the terminal to the Agua Dulce natural gas market hub.

“With its position on the Gulf of Mexico, access to abundant gas supplies, and existing infrastructure, the Rio Grande Valley presents a fantastic opportunity for our project,” said NextDecade CEO Kathleen Eisbrenner.