Freeport LNG Development LP — which is among the U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) regasification terminal flip-floppers — has asked FERC to modify an authorization granted earlier this year for expansion of its regasification facilities. As with some other Gulf Coast LNG terminals, operators are now more intent on exporting LNG than importing it.

Changes to the previous authorization Freeport is seeking include the reorientation of a marine berthing dock; elimination of one of four authorized LNG unloading arms; reduction of the diameter of two LNG transfer pipelines. Freeport also wants to add a 7,000-foot access road and eliminate previously authorized new and expanded vaporization facilities.

The Freeport terminal is on Quintana Island in Brazoria County, TX. A little more than a year ago Freeport LNG and Macquarie Energy said they would develop export capability on the site. Macquarie Energy is the North American energy marketing and trading arm of Australia’s Macquarie Group (see Daily GPI, Nov. 23, 2010).

A few days ago Freeport and related entities file documents with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for the planned development of liquefaction capabilities at the site. The documents were filed with “confidential” status as “privileged and confidential engineering and design information.” Freeport also submitted some information designated as “critical energy infrastructure information.”

Freeport isn’t the only dog in the LNG export race. Cheniere Energy’s Sabine Pass Liquefaction unit recently signed its third contract for liquefaction capacity at its project at an existing import terminal in Cameron Parish, LA (see Daily GPI, Dec. 13). Not to be overlooked are multiple plans to export LNG from Western Canada (see Daily GPI, Dec. 6).

While some industrial end-users and consumer interests oppose the export of domestic gas for fear it will raise prices, a recent analysis completed by Deloitte found that the price impact of liquefying and exporting domestic gas would be modest (see Daily GPI, Dec. 19).

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