US LNG developer, Venture Global LNG is suing construction contractor Kiewit, alleging it had passed confidential documents to Shell.
Venture Global LNG's Calcasieu Pass plant has been at the centre of a long-running dispute involving energy companies, including BP, Shell and others, over access to the plant’s LNG.
"Kiewit was entrusted with this information to enable its work to construct a natural gas liquefaction and export terminal in Cameron Parish, Louisiana developed by Venture Global," Venture Global said in a New York State Supreme Court filing last Friday.
The confidential information included proprietary project development, design, configuration methods, and detailed information about the multi-billion-dollar facility's design and construction, Venture Global claimed.
"Kiewit admits that it disclosed thousands of pages of confidential information to Shell and its project manager for the facility has been speaking directly with Shell about the project," the company added in the filing.
Venture Global said it will seek an arbitration award to prevent further disclosure of confidential information by Kiewit.
"We are equally disappointed by Shell who appears to have solicited this disclosure," Venture Global said in a statement to Reuters.
Kiewit is "reviewing and evaluating this legal matter," a spokesperson told the newswire. Shell did not respond to a request for comment.
Calcasieu Pass has been producing and shipping LNG for more than two years, but has not provided contract customers with supplies, claiming that the plant was not yet fully operational.
In June, the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) ordered Venture Global to provide customers with documentation regarding the mechanical problems and startup of its Louisiana plant.
Back in January, both BP and Shell had asked FERC to force Venture Global LNG to release documents to determine why commercial operations were stalled, calling the delay "unprecedented and inexplicable.”
