Total Gas & Power Ltd. has signed a deal to sell to South Korea’s Korea Gas Corp. (Kogas) 0.7 million metric tons per year of liquefied natural gas (LNG) for 20 years from Cheniere Energy Partners LP’s Sabine Pass Liquefaction LNG export terminal in Louisiana. The LNG would be lifted following startup of the terminal’s third train, which is scheduled for commissioning in 2017, Total said.

“With this agreement, we are consolidating our leadership in a growing LNG market and taking a position in an LNG export market that is emerging in the United States,” said Total Gas & Power President Philippe Sauquet. “The execution of this new long-term agreement between Total and Kogas also strengthens the ties between our two companies. It follows on from the recent acquisition by Kogas of an interest in the GLNG [Gladstone LNG] project in Australia and the execution of a sale and purchase agreement between Total Gas & Power and Kogas for 2 million metric tons per year of LNG.”

The GLNG project is a US$18.5 billion venture to convert coal seam natural gas to LNG for export. The project involves the development of the Santos GLNG gas fields in the Bowen and Surat Basins, construction of a 420 kilometer gas pipeline from Roma to Gladstone and a two-train LNG processing facility on Curtis Island at Gladstone. The project is a venture of Australia’s Santos, Malaysia’s Petronas, France’s Total and Kogas.

Separately last week, Total Gas & Power North America Inc. and Sabine Pass Liquefaction LLC struck an agreement allowing Sabine Liquefaction to progressively gain access to Total’s sendout capacity at the Sabine terminal provided under its terminal use agreement (TUA) with Sabine Pass LNG LP.

The agreements would provide Sabine Liquefaction with additional berthing and storage capacity at the terminal, which may be used to accommodate the development of a fifth liquefaction train, provide increased flexibility in managing LNG cargo loading and unloading activity starting with the commencement of commercial operations of the third liquefaction train, Cheniere said.

“These agreements with Total make further expansion of our LNG export capabilities at the Sabine Pass LNG terminal possible as we will have access to additional capacity required to service another liquefaction train,” said Cheniere CEO Charif Souki. “Additionally, these arrangements will enhance our flexibility for managing berthing and storage capacity at the Sabine Pass LNG terminal while allowing Total to retain some of its rights and access to the facility.”

Sabine Liquefaction would gradually obtain access to Total’s capacity, with access to 38 Bcf/year effective immediately, approximately 195 Bcf/year effective upon commercial operations of the third liquefaction train and substantially all of Total’s capacity upon the start of commercial operations of a potential fifth train at the facility.

From the commencement of commercial operations of the third liquefaction train, Sabine Liquefaction would pay a monthly fee of $2.5 million to Total and from the commencement of commercial operations of a potential fifth train, Sabine Liquefaction would reimburse Total for all of its payments due to Sabine Pass LNG under the Total TUA. From the commencement of the potential fifth train, Total would retain the right to unload up to 195 Bcf/year of LNG at Sabine.

In addition to Australia, Total has interests in LNG projects in Indonesia, Nigeria, Norway, Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, Angola and Russia. Total has long-term access to LNG regasification capacity in key LNG importing countries, and it is developing trading, marketing and logistics businesses to offer its natural gas and LNG production directly to customers. “This LNG portfolio allows Total to supply its main customers worldwide with gas, while retaining a certain degree of flexibility to seize market opportunities,” the company said.

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