LNG

Venture Global LNG, the operator of the Calcasieu Pass export plant in Louisiana and developer of three other plants in the US Gulf Coast state, said it had successfully raised the roof of the second LNG storage tank at the Plaquemines LNG export project in Louisiana.

Venture Global, based in Arlington, Virginia, said the roof-raising was completed ahead of schedule and came just seven weeks after the roof-raising for tank one.

“This represents another major milestone in the construction of Plaquemines LNG, with both roofs now raised for the tanks serving Phase One,” said Michael Sabel, Chief Executive of Venture Global.

“With Phase One deep into construction and our recent final investment decision and full notice to proceed on Phase Two, Plaquemines is well positioned to be the next new major LNG capacity to reach the global market,” Sabel explained.

Four tanks

This is the second tank of four in total being constructed for Plaquemines, located on the banks of the Mississippi and south of New Orleans.

When operational each tank will be capable of storing 200,000 cubic metres of LNG.

“The roof weighs 900 tons and is 294 feet in diameter. Air raising allows for better and safer access as well as a faster construction schedule, as the roof can be erected concurrently with the shell. The tank dome was raised in 71 minutes using 0.3 psi of pressure underneath the roof,” the company said.

“It was raised from ground level to top of the wall height of 130 feet. Eventually, the tank will have an inner tank made from 9% nickel alloy and an outer wall and outer roof made from concrete to provide full containment of the LNG and provide the maximum level of resilience and safety,” added Venture Global.

The company’s existing export plant, the Calcasieu Pass facility in Cameron Parish in Louisiana, is located south of the city of Lake Charles and shipped its first cargo at the start of March 2022.

The Calcasieu Pass facility comprises 18 small-scale modular liquefaction Trains each with 0.626 million tonnes per annum of capacity and configured in 9 blocks for total nameplate output of 11.26 MTPA.

However, Venture Global has plans for more future output of about 60 MTPA of LNG export capacity.

The company’s three other projects, including the CP2 (Calcasieu Pass 2) venture, are each expected to have nameplate capacity of around 20 MTPA.

As well as the Plaquemines plant there is the Delta LNG project to be constructed on a 540-acre site also in Plaquemines Parish on the banks of the Mississippi.