LNG

The Administration of US President Donald Trump has named a lawyer from the state of Virginia employed by the Department of Energy to fill the vacant fifth seat at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the regulator of US energy and liquefied natural gas projects.

The US Coast Guard has completed its review with a positive report for regulators after conducting a waterway suitability assessment for the Canadian-led Jordan Cove LNG export plant proposed for Coos Bay in the northwest state of Oregon.

March 12 (LNGJ) - The US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has approved a request from Cheniere Energy, owner of the Sabine Pass LNG export plant in Louisiana, to begin the permit process for a third loading jetty at the facility that started commercial operations in February 2016. Cheniere told the regulator that it would formally apply for the jetty permit in September 2018 so that the additional facility to handle vessels with capacity of between 125,000 cubic metres and 185,000 cubic metres would be ready for the coming on stream of the final two of the six planned liquefaction Trains.

Commonwealth LNG, the US proposed LNG export plant for the west side of the Calcasieu Ship Channel near Johnson Bayou in Louisiana Cameron Parish has been the subject of a notice of intention from the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission FERC to prepare an environmental impact statement.

Kinder Morgan’s Tennessee Gas Pipeline Co., one of the main suppliers of US domestic natural gas, shale gas and feed-gas for future LNG exports from the US Gulf Coast, has received regulatory approval for the first of its upgrades for the Broad Run expansion project.

Dec 28 (LNGJ) - Tellurian Inc., developer of the Driftwood LNG export project near Lake Charles in Louisiana, said the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) had issued the notice of schedule for environmental review of the venture with production capacity of 27.6 million tonnes per annum and its associated pipeline. According to the notice, FERC will issue its final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on October 12, 2018, and has established a 90-day Federal authorization decision deadline on January 10, 2019. “Assuming a favorable decision, Tellurian expects that this schedule would allow it to begin construction of Driftwood LNG in early 2019, pending a final investment decision by Tellurian,” said the company.

Dec 8 (LNGJ) - The US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the permit authority for LNG export projects and other energy ventures, has a new Chairman in Kevin J. McIntyre who was sworn in after being confirmed by the US Senate. Prior to joining the Commission, McIntyre was joint leader of the global Energy Practice at the US firm Jones Day, where he practiced law for almost 30 years. “At the firm, he had an expansive FERC practice, counselling and representing clients in nearly all industry sectors, including natural gas, conventional electricity, oil, hydropower and renewable resources,” said a FERC statement. “McIntyre is a graduate of San Diego State University and Georgetown Law School. He and his wife Jennifer have three children,” it added. His term as Chairman of FERC lasts until June 2018.

The US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has issued a notice of its intent to prepare an environmental impact statement for the Jordan Cove LNG export project proposed for Coos Bay in the northwest state of Oregon.

March 28 (LNGJ) - Global law firm Orrick said leading energy regulatory practitioners Lisa Tonery and Erik Swenson have joined the firm as partners. They join Orrick from Norton Rose Fulbright, where Tonery led the US LNG Regulatory practice and co-chaired the LNG International Business Group. Tonery joins the New York office and Swenson will be based in Washington DC. “Lisa and Erik have one of the premier natural gas and LNG regulatory practices in the US and we are thrilled about the opportunities for collaboration with our growing project development and finance team in this fast evolving market,” said Blake H. Winburne, who co-heads Orrick’s Energy and Infrastructure Business Unit with Mark Weitzel. “We’re inspired by Orrick’s vision, the quality of the team, the global platform and what the firm has built in Houston,” said Tonery.

The US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the permit provider for all LNG, pipeline and energy projects nationwide, has a new woman Chairman who is a Democrat from Massachusetts. She was nominated to the post by President Donald Trump after incumbent Norman Bay resigned.