The U.S. Coast Guard and the Maritime Administration (MARAD) announced the cancellation of all actions related to the processing of a deepwater port license application for ExxonMobil’s proposed Pearl Crossing LNG Terminal offshore Louisiana. The action includes cancellation of all activities related to the preparation of an environmental impact statement (EIS) and is in response to ExxonMobil’s decision to withdraw the application. The company said earlier this year that it would pursue development of its proposed onshore terminals, which already have received certification from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. ExxonMobil spokesman Bob Davis said the main concern with the offshore terminal was the controversy over the open rack vaporization process, which uses large amounts of sea water to vaporize the LNG and may have undesirable environmental consequences. In a Federal Register notice, MARAD said the cancellation of all actions related to the application was effective Oct. 19. The $1 billion LNG project would have been located 41 miles off the coast of Louisiana in West Cameron Block 220 and would have included a 1 Bcf/d pipeline to the coast.

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