San Diego-based Sempra Energy has relocated its U.S. natural gas/power business unit to Houston from South Carolina in response to its growing interest in midstream projects and its stake in liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects along the Gulf Coast. Sempra U.S. Gas & Power recently moved its Greenville, SC, employees to expanded space in Texas.

A California-based Sempra spokesperson told NGI the consolidation in Houston was “largely in part a result of the development of the Cameron LNG export project in Louisiana and the planned development of Sempra’s long-held property in Port Arthur, TX,” where another LNG liquefaction project is being pursued.

“The recently hired workforce supports the different areas of the LNG business, including but not limited to, engineering/construction, commercial development and other support functions [administration, supply management and information technology],” said the spokesperson, who added that the company currently has 29 job openings in Houston.

Employees for Cameron and Sempra LNG in Houston now number 136, the spokesperson said. Much of the growth has been since 2014 when Sempra has added roughly 72 employees.

“Over the past two years, Sempra U.S. Gas & Power has increased its focus on the development of large natural gas midstream infrastructure projects, and we believe the relocation of our Greenville employees to Houston will better position the company to capture new market opportunities,” the spokesperson said.

Cameron LNG, which is now under development, is jointly owned by Sempra Energy, ENGIE (formerly GDF Suez), Mitsui and Japan LNG Investment LLC, a company jointly owned by Mitsubishi Corp. and Nippon Yusen Kabashiki Kaisha (NYK).