| | | | | |

Cove Point LNG to Pay $60M per Year PILOT to Calvert County, MD

Cove Point LNG is an LNG export facility located in Lusby (Calvert County), Maryland. It is one of the most technically advanced and environmentally sensitive LNG facilities in the world. We recall as Dominion Energy was building the facility, environmental wackos uttered shrill warnings of habitat destruction coming for the Chesapeake Bay (where it’s located) should the facility go into production (see Green Groups Ask DC Judge to Stop Construction at Cove Point LNG). Nothing of the kind ever happened. The current owners of Cove Point, Berkshire Hathaway Energy (yes, that Berkshire, owned by Warren Buffett), just signed a deal paying Calvert County $60 million PER YEAR in lieu of property taxes, a “payment in lieu of taxes” or PILOT agreement. The local community and county commissioners could not be more delighted with the money and how Cove Point benefits the community. So much for all of the false claims by the wackos. Read More “Cove Point LNG to Pay $60M per Year PILOT to Calvert County, MD”

| | | |

Toby Rice – U.S. has Vital Role in Massive, Unmet LNG Demand

The RealClear Media Group has a suite of online publications that are just terrific. Among them is RealClearEnergy. Back in June, RealClearEnergy hosted the Energy Future Forum in Washington, D.C. Among the luminaries speaking (or being interviewed) was Toby Rice, CEO of the country’s largest natural gas producer, EQT Corporation. Toby addressed the role of the U.S. in meeting “massive” demand for LNG across the planet. Toby was in his element. We’ve previously called Toby our country’s LNG evangelist. He certainly shared his zeal and vision for the role of LNG in the coming decades (and it ain’t just a “transition” fuel). Read More “Toby Rice – U.S. has Vital Role in Massive, Unmet LNG Demand”

| | | |

DOE: Biden “Pause” (Ban) on Approving LNG Exports Still in Effect

In January, Joementia announced he would “pause” any approvals for new LNG export plants (currently 17 requests in the pipeline) for at least one year while his people fart around pretending to figure out how to measure global warming as a new consideration for whether or not to approve such projects (see White House Makes it Official – Biden Declares War on LNG Exports). It was a purely political move aimed at currying favor with the radical left. In March, 16 state Attorneys General filed a lawsuit asking a federal judge to end the pause, which is causing their states economic harm (see 16 States Sue Biden Admin Over Pause in LNG Export Approvals). On July 1, a federal judge in Louisiana agreed with the states and ordered Biden-Harris to resume issuing permits for new LNG export facilities (see Federal Judge Orders Biden DOE to Resume Issuing LNG Export Permits). In August, Biden-Harris appealed the judge’s decision, hoping to continue blocking new LNG approvals (see Bidenistas Appeal Court Decision, Seek to Continue LNG Approval Ban).
Read More “DOE: Biden “Pause” (Ban) on Approving LNG Exports Still in Effect”

| | |

DC Circuit Rulings are Harming the U.S. LNG Export Industry

The liberal judges on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia issued a string of rulings this year that have greatly damaged the country’s LNG export industry. Those rulings, if left unchallenged, put future LNG growth in this country in doubt. So says energy expert David Blackmon, writing for the Forbes magazine website. The D.C. Circuit has been coloring WAY outside the lines by using White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) criteria for what should be included in environmental reviews conducted under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).
Read More “DC Circuit Rulings are Harming the U.S. LNG Export Industry”

| | | |

Shell Says Venture Global Wrongfully Earned $3.5B from CP LNG Sales

Shell is putting numbers to the gross transgression of Venture Global in screwing over its contracted customers for LNG shipments. Venture Global’s Calcasieu Pass LNG export facility received Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) authorization to place the final three liquefaction blocks (7-9) into service in November 2023 (see Venture Global Gets FERC OK to Commission 3 Calcasieu Pass Trains). The other trains, 1-6, have been online for over two years. However, the entire facility is not officially in commercial service, even though it has shipped over 200 cargoes! Venture Global claims it is still working out the kinks. Shell and Venture’s other customers say horse manure! Shell says Venture Global has wrongfully earned $3.5 billion from selling cargos from long-term contracts on the spot market instead. PAY UP, Venture Global! Read More “Shell Says Venture Global Wrongfully Earned $3.5B from CP LNG Sales”

| | |

Good News! U.S. LNG Exports On Track to More Than Double by 2028

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), North America’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) export capacity is on track to more than double between 2024 and 2028, from 11.4 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in 2023 to an astonishing 24.4 Bcf/d in 2028! That is, if all the projects currently under construction begin operations as planned. However, that increase includes not just exports from the U.S. but also from Canada and Mexico. Yes, somehow, magically, countries like Canada and Mexico, where Big Green thought it held an iron grip, will soon begin to export LNG (some of it U.S. molecules).
Read More “Good News! U.S. LNG Exports On Track to More Than Double by 2028”

| | | | |

Biden-Harris Betrays Big Green, OK’s LNG Exports for New Fortress

In January, Joementia announced he would “pause” any approvals for new LNG export plants (currently 17 requests in the pipeline) for at least one year while his people fart around pretending to figure out how to measure global warming as a new consideration for whether or not to approve such projects (see White House Makes it Official – Biden Declares War on LNG Exports). It was a purely political move aimed at currying favor with the radical left. In March, 16 state Attorneys General filed a lawsuit asking a federal judge to end the pause, which is causing their states economic harm (see 16 States Sue Biden Admin Over Pause in LNG Export Approvals). On July 1, a federal judge in Louisiana agreed with the states and ordered Biden-Harris to resume issuing permits for new LNG export facilities (see Federal Judge Orders Biden DOE to Resume Issuing LNG Export Permits). In August, Biden-Harris appealed the judge’s decision, hoping to continue blocking new LNG approvals (see Bidenistas Appeal Court Decision, Seek to Continue LNG Approval Ban). And just like that (because it’s an election year), Biden-Harris reversed course and yesterday approved exports for an LNG project in Mexico, a project that will export U.S. molecules. Read More “Biden-Harris Betrays Big Green, OK’s LNG Exports for New Fortress”

| |

Freeport LNG Goes Offline for the Umpteenth Time, Then Restarts

Up/down, up/down, up/down, up/down… We can’t count how many times the Freeport LNG export facility has come online to go offline again, with the cycle repeating (see our MANY stories about the uneven Freeport here). It’s become kind of a joke. Except, it’s no joke. Freeport is (still, for now) the country’s second-largest LNG export plant, with a capacity to liquefy 2.1 Bcf/d (billion cubic feet per day) of natural gas. Some of that gas comes from the Marcellus/Utica, which is why we care about the upness and downness of this facility. It’s happened again. The facility went offline on Wednesday, but yesterday, it had begun to come back online. Read More “Freeport LNG Goes Offline for the Umpteenth Time, Then Restarts”

| | |

Venture Global Wants FERC OK to Unload 1st LNG Cargo at Plaquemines

Venture Global is developing an LNG export facility in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, approximately 20 miles south of New Orleans. Phase One of the project is currently under construction. Venture Global recently asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for permission to unload a tanker full of LNG to be used for testing the facility. The LNG (from Norway, because the Jones Act prohibits American LNG) will be used to cool down parts of the Plaquemines facility as part of the plant’s testing and commissioning process. Our question: Why is Venture Global allowed to do *anything* with the Plaquemines facility when it continues to screw its contracted customers at its Calcasieu Pass facility?
Read More “Venture Global Wants FERC OK to Unload 1st LNG Cargo at Plaquemines”

| | | | | | |

After Doc Review, Customers Asks FERC to Deny CP LNG Extra Time

Venture Global’s Calcasieu Pass LNG export facility received Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) authorization to place the final three liquefaction blocks (7-9) into service in November 2023 (see Venture Global Gets FERC OK to Commission 3 Calcasieu Pass Trains). The other trains, 1-6, have been online for over two years. However, the entire facility is not officially in commercial service, even though it has shipped over 200 cargoes! Venture Global claims it’s still working out the kinks. After reviewing confidential commissioning documents, Venture Global’s customers have asked FERC to deny a requested one-year time extension before the plant is fully commissioned. Read More “After Doc Review, Customers Asks FERC to Deny CP LNG Extra Time”

| |

Freeport LNG to Expand Output… IF It Can Stay Online

Here’s a bit of good news, possibly. The Freeport LNG export facility, located on Quintana Island, near Freeport, Texas, currently exports 15.3 million metric tons per annum (MTPA). That is when it’s up and running. The plant was most recently down for most of July following a visit by Hurricane Beryl (see Freeport LNG Returns to Full Production After Outage Since July 7). There have been too many ups and downs with the Freeport facility to count since it opened two years ago. The new news is that Freeport has been working on tweaks to the facility that will increase its export capacity by 8% to 16.5 MTPA.
Read More “Freeport LNG to Expand Output… IF It Can Stay Online”

| | | |

Bidenistas Appeal Court Decision, Seek to Continue LNG Approval Ban

In January, Joementia announced he would “pause” any approvals for new LNG export plants (currently 17 requests in the pipeline) for at least one year while his people fart around pretending to figure out how to measure global warming as a new consideration for whether or not to approve such projects (see White House Makes it Official – Biden Declares War on LNG Exports). It was a purely political move aimed at currying favor with the radical left. In March, 16 state Attorneys General filed a lawsuit asking a federal judge to end the pause, which is causing their states economic harm (see 16 States Sue Biden Admin Over Pause in LNG Export Approvals). On July 1, a federal judge in Louisiana agreed with the states and ordered the Biden administration to resume issuing permits for new LNG export facilities (see Federal Judge Orders Biden DOE to Resume Issuing LNG Export Permits). Surprise! The Bidenistas have appealed the judge’s decision, hoping to continue blocking new LNG approvals.
Read More “Bidenistas Appeal Court Decision, Seek to Continue LNG Approval Ban”

| | |

Eagle LNG Seeks Extension to Build Jacksonville LNG Export Facility

In September 2019, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) gave its blessing to Eagle LNG to build a small LNG export facility project at a site on the St. Johns River in Jacksonville, Florida (see FERC Grants Final Approval to Jacksonville, FL LNG Export Plant). According to our research, some of the gas that will feed it will come from the Marcellus/Utica. FERC’s blessing in September 2019 came with a deadline to get the facility built by September 2024. Eagle says it can’t meet the deadline and has asked FERC to extend it by another five years.
Read More “Eagle LNG Seeks Extension to Build Jacksonville LNG Export Facility”

| |

Freeport LNG Returns to Full Production After Outage Since July 7

We need a scorecard to keep track of all the ups and downs at the problem-plagued Freeport LNG export facility. We don’t think it’s a stretch to say the plant, which is the second largest LNG export plant in the U.S., has been down as much as it has been up over the past two years of its short existence. Just last Thursday, Reuters reported full operations at the plant (all three “trains”) would not be fully online again until “early August” following Hurricane Beryl visiting the area (see Freeport LNG Full Restart Delayed Until August, Says Source). But just like that, Reuters is now reporting the facility is pulling in a full 2 Bcf/d of gas to liquefy and load.
Read More “Freeport LNG Returns to Full Production After Outage Since July 7”

| |

Freeport LNG Full Restart Delayed Until August, Says Source

Yeah, we kind of felt like it was too good to be true. Tuesday, we told you that an LNG carrier had left Freeport LNG’s port last weekend fully loaded, and a couple of carriers were queued up, waiting to dock and load (see Freeport Finally Resumes Loading Cargo Ships, Feedgas Increases). It certainly seemed like things were beginning to rock and roll once again after Freeport had been totally down since July 5 due to Hurricane Beryl. However, a super secret source whispering to S&P Global Commodity Insights says the full plant won’t be operational until “early August.” And more bad news for Freeport: Fitch Ratings has downgraded the company’s credit rating.
Read More “Freeport LNG Full Restart Delayed Until August, Says Source”

| | | |

EQT Signs Contract to Ship 264 MMcf/d to LNG Export Plant in Texas

In April, MDN brought you the news that EQT Corporation, the largest natural gas producer in the country (totally focused on the Marcellus/Utica) had signed two agreements with Glenfarne Energy’s Texas LNG Brownsville export facility to liquefy 2.0 million tons per annum (MTPA) of EQT-extracted shale gas (see EQT Quadruples Deal to Send Gas to LNG Export Plant in S. Texas). That works out to be roughly 264 million cubic feet per day (MMcf/d) of EQT’s M-U molecules hitching a ride to South Texas. Yesterday, Glenfarne announced that what had been a “back of the envelope” agreement (called a Heads of Agreement) with EQT has been upgraded to a binding contract, called a “tolling agreement.”
Read More “EQT Signs Contract to Ship 264 MMcf/d to LNG Export Plant in Texas”