US-based project company Cheniere Energy has started to produce LNG at the first 4.5 Mt/year train of its US$15bn Corpus Christi liquefaction and export terminal project in Texas (United States) and the facility is on its way to ship its first-ever cargo. The 170,000 m3 floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) Golar Tundra has arrived at the facility and will depart with the first shipment shortly.
Earlier in November 2018, Cheniere Energy secured an approval from the US Federal Regulatory Energy Commission (FERC) to load and export cargoes at the facility. The order authorized initial commissioning volumes and other exports in a volume of 2.1 bcf/d (approximately 59 mcm/d). However, the company still expects a final approval from the regulator for the start of commercial operations.
The first phase of Corpus Christi LNG includes three 4.5 Mt/year liquefaction trains, with the second train expected to be commissioned in 2019. The third train is also under construction and is expected to be commissioned in 2021. The second phase of the project will include 7 smaller LNG trains of 1.4 Mt/year each (total capacity of 9.5 Mt/year) and could be brought online in 2022.