An aboriginal community has obtained approval to join the long lineup of projects competing to break into overseas markets for liquefied natural gas (LNG) from export terminals proposed on the northern Pacific Coast of British Columbia.

Cedar LNG Export Development Corp., a venture of the Haisla Nation at the port of Kitimat, received a 25-year license from the National Energy Board to export 7.6 Tcf of gas at a rate of about 800 MMcf/d.

The plan calls for mooring gas liquefaction facilities to be built on barges or other vessels at Kitimat-area locations controlled by the native settlement. Discussions are under way with potential industry partners, investors, gas suppliers, pipelines and LNG buyers, Cedar told the NEB.

As in all of its long-term overseas gas export approval decisions, the NEB made no comment on Cedar’s chances of success. The license approval only means the nation can spare the supplies if the project clears barriers of high costs and intense international sales competition that have to date prevented construction of Canadian LNG export projects, the board ruling said.