Freeport LNG Changes Restart Date from Mid- to End-December
Three weeks ago, Freeport LNG, which has been out of commission since early June, changed the target date it would restart from November to mid-December (see Freeport LNG Announces Fix-it Work 90% Done, Restart in Mid-Dec). That wasn’t the first time the company moved the restart date, and (it seems), not the last. On Friday, Freeport announced another delay. The company now says feed gas will not flow to the facility until the end of December.
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MDN previously reported that in October, Joe Nolan, the CEO of New England’s largest utility company, Eversource, sent a letter to President Biden urging him to assemble a panel and figure out how to ensure natgas flows to New England (via LNG) this winter–because if it doesn’t, this IS the year rolling blackouts become reality (see 
The country of Japan is perenially either the #1 or #2 top LNG importer in the world. The country has virtually no domestic supplies of oil and gas and, therefore, must import what it uses. It’s no secret that Japan and its traders are some of the best in the world. So when Japan says supplies of LNG are getting tighter and that “Procurement [of LNG] can also be said to be in a state of war,” that’s alarming. And sobering. Japan says not enough money is being invested in LNG export projects, and although this year most countries can muddle through, beginning next year, it’s going to be a problem.
In March of this year, the three Democrats who occupy and control the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) sent a loud and clear signal they don’t like the Commonwealth LNG plan to erect a new LNG export plant in Cameron Parish, La. due to concerns over so-called environmental justice (see 
The Freeport LNG export facility, located in Quintana Island, Texas (near Houston), experienced an explosion and fire in early June (see 
An interesting episode on Friday illustrates the power of social media and fake news. The NYMEX natural gas futures price for the “front month” December contract plunged as much as 7.4% on Friday morning after someone identifying themselves as a commodities trader posted on Twitter that “cracked pipes” were discovered at the Freeport LNG terminal, potentially delaying the company’s plans to restart exports. Interest in the tweet took off after being shared by another Twitter user that is widely followed by gas traders and analysts.
MDN editor Jim Willis lives in the Binghamton, NY, area. While traveling local highways and local town roadways, he often sees XNG tractor-trailers passing through the area (like the one pictured at left). XNG (Xpress Natural Gas) is a “virtual pipeline” company, compressing and hauling CNG (compressed natural gas) to customers in the northeastern United States. The company has a major depot in Montrose, PA, not far from MDN HQ, compressing and then transporting Marcellus gas to customers that don’t have the benefit of using pipelined gas. XNG has just ordered more CNG trailers.
Bloomberg is reporting that “sources” are chattering that Dominion Energy, the majority owner of Cove Point, Maryland, LNG export facility with a 50% stake in the plant, is considering selling its stake. In July 2020, Dominion sold its natural gas pipeline business along with a 25% stake in Cove Point to Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathway (see 
In June, seemingly out of nowhere, a plan to build an LNG export facility on the banks of the Delaware River south of Philadelphia made big headlines in Philly (see