Executives with G2 LNG LLC officially announced their proposed $11 billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) export project on the Calcasieu River Ship Channel in Cameron Parish, LA, at a ceremony on Monday.

The project, which would be capable of exporting 14 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of LNG would include two liquefaction trains. Last July, the project backers received authorization to export LNG to free trade agreement (FTA) countries (see Daily GPI, July 21).

“The G2 LNG project has several unique advantages that have led to advanced discussions with potential customers in Asia, Europe, India and the Caribbean,” said G2 LNG Chairman Charles “Buddy” Roemer, who is also a former Louisiana governor.

A decision from the U.S. Department of Energy on G2’s pending non-FTA export application is expected in 2017. The company said it expects to begin the FERC pre-filing process within the next 30 days. Construction of the facility could begin in mid-2017 with the facility coming online in 2020.

“The Calcasieu River Ship Channel and Cameron Parish is the ideal location for this project,” said G2 LNG President Thomas Hudson. “We are three miles from the Gulf of Mexico on a 42-foot deep channel. Extensive interstate and intrastate natural gas pipeline systems traverse Cameron Parish, giving us access to both conventional and unconventional shale gas on a firm or spot price basis.”

Separately last month, Venture Global Calcasieu Pass LLC and TransCameron Pipeline LLC applied at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for authorization to construct an LNG terminal in Cameron Parish and its associated natural gas pipeline laterals. The projects are proposed by Venture Global LNG Inc. (see Daily GPI, Sept. 8).

Meanwhile, the first Lower 48 LNG export terminal — Cheniere Energy Inc.’s Sabine Pass in Louisiana — is expected to begin sending out cargoes around the end of this year.

According to Genscape, the terminal has been receiving natural gas to allow for the commissioning of its first liquefaction train. “…Genscape’s proprietary monitoring of the facility (Trains 1 and 2) confirms commissioning activities have begun as flaring at the facility has been observed starting Sept. 29, 2015 at 4:46 PM CT. The flaring has been consistent since it was first observed,” Genscape said on its website. A Cheniere representative did not respond to multiple requests for confirmation of commissioning activities.