LNG

Atmos Energy Corp., one of the largest US natural-gas-only utility and distribution companies operating in eight southern states, reported increases in fiscal fourth-quarter and annual earnings as it continued to modernise natural gas distribution, transmission and storage systems.

Pembina Pipeline Corp., joint developer of the Cedar LNG project in British Columbia and the rejected Jordan Cove in the northwest US state of Oregon, has contacted shareholders for a special virtual-only meeting to be held on July 29 on the proposed strategic combination with smaller peer Inter Pipeline Ltd.

Pembina Pipeline Corp., the Canadian infrastructure company, said there was still uncertainty surrounding the future of its Jordan Cove LNG export project in the northwest US state of Oregon as Pembina planned to take a natural gas pipeline one-off charge in the fourth quarter.

The US Secretary of Energy Dan Brouillette has issued a final long-term order authorizing the export of domestically produced liquefied natural gas from the proposed Jordan Cove LNG Terminal at Coos Bay in the northwest state of Oregon.

The export permit, which had previously been conditional, follows the approval by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission announced March 2020 for the siting, construction, and operation of the Jordan Cove liquefaction plant and the related Pacific Connector Pipeline.

“The export authorization for Jordan Cove, the first US West Coast LNG project, will ease access to further position the US as a top supplier of LNG around the world,” said Secretary Brouillette.

“The issuance to Jordan Cove serves to further expand opportunities for US LNG abroad, particularly in the growing markets of Asia, and encapsulates what the Trump Administration has been working hard on for the past three years - providing reliable, affordable, and cleaner-burning natural gas to our allies around the world,” stated Brouillette.

The development company, the Jordan Cove Energy Project is owned by Canada’s Pembina Pipeline Corp. and it now has the authority to export up to 1.08 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas as LNG.

The DoE statement said the project’s natural gas will be sourced from both Canada and the United States and would be liquefied at the Jordan Cove facility for export to any nation worldwide, unless trade is prohibited by US law.

Calgary, Alberta-based Pembina acquired the Jordan Cove LNG project in late 2017 in its takeover of another Canadian company, Veresen Inc.

The project includes a 230-mile pipeline which would traverse four counties in Southern Oregon on the route to the liquefaction plant.

The liquefaction plant and other facilities are planned for a 200-acre site and comprise five small-scale Trains each with 1.5 million tonnes per annum of output for a total of 7.8 MTPA.

“As we work to overcome the Covid-19 pandemic, LNG exports are going to be one of the building blocks toward the United States’ economic recovery,” said DOE’s Assistant Secretary for Fossil Energy Steven Winberg.

“The US has exported LNG to 38 countries, with this authorization to Jordan Cove, the United States can look to increase that number with expanded geographic coverage for LNG exports into key importing markets in Asia, providing enhanced economic opportunities both here in the US and globally,” added Winberg.

Jordan Cove has multiple facilities, including two full-containment storage tanks with total capacity of 320,000 cubic metres, gas treating infrastructure, an export jetty and access to more than 25 billion cubic feet per day of gas supply from Western Canada and the US Rockies.

The project’s Pacific Connector pipeline will have a 36-inch diameter with capacity to transport up to 1.2 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day.

Feed-gas for Jordan Cove would be sourced at the Malin Hub, creating a new outlet for natural gas from areas such as the Rockies Basin.

The export plant is expected to be visited by about 120 LNG carriers per year and Pembina has signed preliminary accords with Jera Co. Inc. and Itochu Corp. of Japan for the supply of cargoes.

The US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission plans a statement on February 20 on the application to build the Jordan Cove LNG export terminal at Coos Bay in the northwest state of Oregon.

Pembina Pipeline Corp. of Canada said it was still on track to develop the Jordan Cove LNG export project at Coos Bay in the northwest state of Oregon as it reported an increase in profits while seeking to boost future earnings with the acquisition of a major Canada-US pipeline from Kinder Morgan.

The US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has delayed completion of an environmental impact statement (EIS) for the Jordan Cove liquefied natural gas export facility and its affiliated Pacific Connector Pipeline planned for the northwest state of Oregon.