The Freeport LNG Terminal on Quintana Island, TX, was given a conditional green light on Friday by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for an expansion to carry additional volumes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to countries without U.S. free-trade agreements (FTA).
Freeport
Articles from Freeport
Phillips 66 Planning Gulf Coast LPG Export Terminal
Phillips 66 is planning to expand its midstream business with a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) export terminal to be built at its existing marine terminal in Freeport, TX, the Houston-based company said.
Freeport-McMoRan Considering JVs, MLP to Reduce Debt
Freeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc., which scooped up two significant U.S.-based oil and natural gas operators earlier this year, now is looking at a range of options to reduce some of the debt that came with the buys, including asset sales, joint ventures or even a master limited partnership (MLP), CEO Richard C. Adkerson said Tuesday.
Freeport LNG Strikes Two Asian Supply Agreements
Freeport LNG Expansion LP has struck two binding 20-year liquefaction tolling agreements (LTA) for its proposed natural gas liquefaction and loading facility on Quintana Island near Freeport, TX. The separate agreements are with SK E&S LNG LLC (SK) and Toshiba Corp., each for a base quantity of 2.2. million tons per annum (mtpa).
People
B.M. “Mack” RankinJr., 83, who co-foundedFreeport-McMoRan Copper & Gold Inc.and served as vice chairman of the board, died Wednesday. Rankin foundedMcMoRan Oil & Gas Co.in 1969 with partnersW.K. McWilliams, who is deceased, and current ChairmanJim Bob Moffatt. In 1981, McMoRan merged withFreeport Minerals Co.to form Freeport-McMoRan Inc., the predecessor parent company, which has since become one of the largest natural resources companies in the world (seeDaily GPI,July 24;Dec. 6, 2012). “We lost a brother, a friend and a valued member of our board of directors,” Moffatt said. “Mack has been a great partner and adviser for many years.” Rankin, who had more than 50 years of experience in the natural resources industry, was a member of the All American Wildcatters and from 2008 to 2010 was chairman of theU.S. Oil and Gas Association. In 2010 the Dallas native received theTexas Oil & Gas AssociationDistinguished Service Award. Rankin, a graduate of theUniversity of Texas at Austin(UT), was a member of the McCombs School of Business Hall of Fame and had received a Distinguished Alumnus Award from the College of Business Administration. Rankin was an avid supporter of UT and endowed, among other things, a professorship in petroleum land management. The UT Longhorn athletic dining hall is named in his honor. Rankin is survived by his wife, Ashley, and son, Richard.
Dow’s U.S. Shale ‘Feedstock Opportunities’ Seen on Track
Dow Chemical Co. officials on Monday said a comprehensive plan to connect U.S. operations with “cost-advantaged feedstocks” from abundant supplies of domestic shale gas is moving forward and is on track to deliver long-term competitive advantages for the worldwide operations.
Enterprise Plans Propane Unit to Capitalize on Shale NGLs
Enterprise Products Partners LP plans to build one of the world’s largest propane dehydrogenation (PDH) units on the Texas Gulf Coast to take advantage of abundant supplies of propane thrown off by shale gas plays and to address periodic shortages of propylene in the region.
Encana Takes Partners in Wyoming’s Jonah Field
Houston-based Contango Oil & Gas Co., better known as a Gulf Coast player, on Monday joined with some financially savvy partners to invest up to $380 million over the next five years in Encana Corp.’s holdings in the Jonah field, one of the largest natural gas fields in the United States and the third largest oilfield in Wyoming.
Aither, Brazil’s Braskem Fuel West Virginia Cracker Rumors
Days after a Royal Dutch Shell plc subsidiary announced that it intends to purchase a site in Pennsylvania — presumably for its “world-scale” ethane cracker in the Marcellus Shale — media reports are fueling speculation that two companies are interested in building their own crackers in West Virginia, with one possibly making their announcement today, Wednesday.
Industry Brief
Cheniere Energy Inc. has closed the sale of its 30% limited partner interest in Freeport LNG Development LP for net proceeds of approximately $104 million to ZHA FLNG Purchaser LLC, an entity formed by Zachry American Infrastructure LLC and Hastings Funds Management USA Inc. on behalf of institutional investors, Cheniere said. Net proceeds are to be used to pay down a portion of the $400 million, 9.75% term loan held by a Cheniere subsidiary, the company said (see Daily GPI, April 26). The transaction is in line with Cheniere’s strategy of improving its capital structure and reducing debt.