As Commonwealth LNG LLC awaits its last regulatory approval from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), management said it has also entered the final stages of commercializing the more than 9 million metric tons/year (mmty) project ahead of a final investment decision (FID) later this year.

Executive Chairman Paul Varello told NGI the company is anticipating a decision from the DOE on its request to export to non-Free Trade Agreement (FTA) countries as soon as this month. In the meantime, Varello said the firm’s commercial team is working on final sales and purchase agreements (SPA) to place 80% of the project’s capacity under contract before FID, which is expected by the end of this year.

“We still have 6 million tons to get under SPAs, but we’re very comfortable that...