Tellurian Inc.’s Driftwood LNG LLC and Driftwood Pipeline LLC have formally filed at FERC to construct and operate a 26 million tonne per annum (mtpa) liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facility near Lake Charles, LA, and a 96-mile pipeline connecting the facility to interstate pipelines.

Construction on the Driftwood LNG project is expected to begin next year, with first LNG production expected in 2022. Full operations would begin in 2025, the company said [CP17-117; CP17-118].

Tellurian said it expects that engineering, procurement, and construction costs will be $13 billion to $16 billion for the export facility. It expects to make a final investment decision to begin construction following regulatory approval in mid-2018.

The Driftwood terminal would require up to 4 Bcf/d of feed gas to export 26 mtpa, the company said in its prefiling documents at the Commission [PF16-6].

The liquefaction facility would consist of five LNG plants with each plant composed of one gas pre-treatment unit and four liquefaction units.

The pipeline, which will include three compressor stations, a lateral pipeline and up to 15 meter stations, will extend westward from a proposed interconnect with the existing pipeline system of Columbia Gulf Transmission LLC (CGT) located 4.5 miles south of Ville Platte, LA, then will traverse Calcasieu, Jefferson Davis, Acadia and Evangeline parishes for 96 miles to the LNG facility near Carlyss, LA.

“The pipeline will interconnect with up to 14 interstate pipelines, which will ensure access to ample gas feedstock and provide supply liquidity to meet the liquefaction capacity needs of the facility,” the filing said. The pipeline will collocated with other right-of-way corridors for 68 miles (70%) of the proposed route.

Tellurian was founded by Cheniere Energy Inc. co-founder Charif Souki and Martin Houston, a former BG Group executive.