Louisiana LNG seals funding, picks contractor on planned export plant

Louisiana LNG Energy (LLNGE) has secured funding from an affiliate of ArcLight Capital Partners for the company's mid-scale LNG export terminal currently under development in Louisiana along the Mississippi River, officials announced on Friday.

The project, expected to start up in late 2017, has export capacity of 2 million tpy, possesses deep-water access for very large gas carriers (VLGC), and utilizes modular construction for speed to market.

"The ArcLight funding agreement is a significant step in advancing the project," said Jim Lindsay, CEO of Louisiana LNG Energy. "The addition of their team provides LLNGE additional experienced resources to continue moving the project forward with all phases of the project scheduled for completion in late 2017."

"ArcLight is pleased to be partnering with LLNGE's management team to facilitate the development of the premier mid-scale LNG facility in the Gulf Coast," added Carter Ward, partner of ArcLight. 

Additionally, Louisiana LNG announced that it has selected Chart Energy & Chemicals (Chart E&C) to perform advanced engineering for the project, based on Chart's 500,000 tpy standard LNG liquefaction plant design.  

The plants will feature Chart's proprietary liquefaction technology with in-house design and manufacture of all mission critical equipment. Advanced engineering will commence immediately.  

The project also has procured four manufacturing space reservations with Chart, to ensure that the 2 million tpy LNG plant can be online in the fourth quarter of 2017.

"By securing the slot reservations for the liquefaction trains, LLNGE has completed another important step in maintaining its timeline for production in 2017," said Tom Burgess, vice president of marketing for Louisiana LNG.