An opening regulatory move has been made toward building a Canadian LNG export terminal on the east coast by the New Brunswick arm of Spain’s Repsol SA, but natural gas deliveries are years away.

The plan by Saint John LNG Development Co. (SJLNG) aims for initial exports of 300 MMcf/d, or only 40% of the targeted volumes that were in a previous version of the project, according to an application filed Wednesday to the Canada Energy Regulator (CER).

No decision has been made to build the proposed addition at the existing import terminal on the New Brunswick coast, the CER filing noted. Approval would only allow extra time to develop the export project.

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