Dominion Expects to Receive Shale Gas Export Permit in 2012

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stamp of approvalLast September, Dominion Resources filed an application with the Department of Energy (DOE) to begin exporting liquefied natural gas from its Cove Point terminal in Maryland—up to 1 billion cubic feet of gas per day (see this MDN story). Dominion Resources CEO Thomas Farrell said last Friday he believes the permit will be issued later this year.

Dominion’s Cove Point liquefied natural-gas terminal was originally built to receive natural-gas imports. But with the U.S. boom in natural-gas production, Dominion, Cheniere Energy Inc. (LNG) and other companies have sought to modify their terminals to export natural gas abroad, where prices and demand are higher.

"With all the gas that’s available in this country now, particularly in this region, we think it’s likely the permit will be issued [and] we expect to have it later this year," Dominion Chairman and Chief Executive Thomas Farrell said during a conference call with analysts to discuss fourth-quarter earnings.

Last autumn, the company applied with the U.S. Department of Energy to export up to 365 billion cubic feet of natural gas from the terminal, and has been in discussions with potential customers in Europe and Asia, and with U.S. natural-gas producers, about deals, Farrell said.*

*World Oil/Dow Jones (Jan 29, 2012) – Dominion Resources expects LNG export permit in 2012 for Marcellus, Utica gas

One Comment

  1. This decision by Dominion shows that we are missing the bus on natural gas. They announced they want to ship OUR abundant NG supplies overseas, this is sad. OPEC has got every household and car under their spell and the people that are screaming the loudest( all you Anti’s) about Gas prices( $ 3.50 per gallon again )and Pollution are the biggest abusers.If the big Auto companies would get on board( very easy to switch to NG from conventional gas) along with our government( way to much money going into their campaign funds from OPEC lobbyist to delay it) we can transition to NG a lot faster then its actually happening. We have buses completely running on NG where I live. What is going on with this country when a simple solution to many problems can be solved if the right choices are made by those who make policy and law.Thats why this election is so very important!! So we ship our over abundant supply of NG over there, and they ship their over supply of Oil over here and we all get screwed every day at the pump and in our heating and cooling bills, makes perfect sense to me.Tell me all you Anti’s out there, does this make any sense to you? Your fighting a losing battle, these drilling companies will get out  ALL that NG from the ground ,no matter how much you scream and yell.They will make tons of money with you blessing or without it.Then they will sell it over seas to further screw you because you wont reap the benefits that NG has to offer, like cutting your heating/cooling bill in half, or paying $1.75 a gallon at the pump, and cutting emissions to bare minimums. So keep yelling out there. Keep those blinders on. Its doing you and this country just fine.