LNG

FERC raises concerns over Jordan Cove LNG project

In its draft environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Jordan Cove LNG export project in Oregon, the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) raised “serious reservations” about the environmental impact of the Canadian-led venture. Jordan Cove LNG, owned by Pembina Pipeline Corp., is designed to include five small-scale liquefaction Trains each with 1.5 mtpa of output for a total of 7.8 mtpa. It will also include two full-containment LNG storage tanks with total capacity of 320,000 cubic metres, gas treating facilities, an export jetty and access to more than 25 Bcf/d of gas supply from Western Canada and the US Rockies. “We conclude that constructing and operating the project would result in temporary, long-term, and permanent impacts on the environment,” said the FERC in its draft report. “Specifically, we conclude that constructing the project would temporarily but significantly impact housing in Coos Bay and that constructing and operating the project would permanently and significantly impact the visual character of Coos Bay. Furthermore, constructing and operating the project is likely to adversely affect 13 federally-listed threatened and endangered species,” the regulator stated. As proposed, the LNG plant would be visited by about 120 LNG carriers per year and Pembina has confirmed that it had signed preliminary accords with Jera and Itochu of Japan for the supply of LNG. The natural gas feeder pipeline would link to the existing pipeline systems in Klamath County, Oregon, and would span parts of Klamath, Jackson, Douglas, and Coos counties before connecting with the LNG plant. The approximately 229-mile-long, 36-inch-diameter pipeline would be capable of transporting up to 1.2 Bcf/d of natural gas.

Bangladesh nears start-up of 2nd FSRU

Bangladesh is getting ready to commission its second floating storage and regas unit (FSRU) in an effort to import more LNG for use in the power sector. Moored offshore the port of Cox’s Bazar, the FSRU vessel ‘Summit LNG’ has been chartered from Excelerate Energy in a project involving Summit Power. The Summit Group stated the ‘Summit’ FSRU can handle around 3.75 mtpa of LNG, which effectively doubles the Bangladesh’s LNG import capacity after a first FSRU, the ‘Excellence’, was commissioned at Moheshkhali Island in August last year. All regasified LNG, produced at the new FSRU, will be procured by state-owned Petrobangla. To transport the gas, the Chinese major CNOOC has been commissioned to build a 4.2 mile pipeline that connects Summit FSRU to the shore. Singapore-based Summit Power operates 20 power plants in Bangladesh with an installed capacity of 1,941 MW, which is about 20% of the country’s total privately-held power generation. Summit is currently developing a 583 MW gas power plant in the town of Meghnaghat, some 20km south of the capital Dhaka. The plant is planned to be commissioned in March 2022. Muhammed Aziz Khan, chairman of Summit Group, said the company was “working towards achieving power and energy sufficiency in Bangladesh under the bold leadership of the government.” Targeting Bangladesh, GE has agreed to potentially provide $50 million to Summit to be used for the development of power projects. Mitsubishi Corp. owns a 25% stake in Summit Group since Augsut 2018, and is also eying to participate in power projects across Southeast Asia.