Mexico Pacific, the developer of the planned 15 mtpa Saguaro Energia LNG export project, has appointed Sarah Bairstow as its new chief executive officer.
Bairstow’s appointment follows Ivan Van der Walt’s resignation as CEO to pursue “other interests”, Mexico Pacific said in a statement.
She has more than 20 years of international LNG and energy leadership experience and is a founding executive of Mexico Pacific.
Prior to joining Mexico Pacific in 2019, Bairstow was the head of strategic projects and commercial LNG for the Santos-led Gladstone LNG project in Australia.
At GLNG, she secured the long-term SPAs underpinning project revenues before building and overseeing GLNG’s commercial LNG business for nearly a decade on behalf of project partners Santos, Kogas, Petronas, and Total, Mexico Pacific said.
Mexico Pacific plans to begin construction in H2
“Mexico Pacific has achieved substantial progress over the past year, and, as we build on our momentum since Quantum’s initial investment in the company a few years ago, we are thrilled to have a leader of Sarah’s caliber assume the role of CEO,” said Charles Davidson, executive chairman of Mexico Pacific and partner at Quantum Capital Group, Mexico Pacific’s principal equity owner.
“With three trains commercially contracted and key regulatory permits in place across the pipeline and terminal, Mexico Pacific is well positioned to begin construction of its flagship project in the second half of this year,” Davidson said.
Mexico Pacific said it continues to progress the workstreams necessary to achieve a final investment decision for the first phase of its Saguaro Energía LNG facility and associated Sierra Madre pipeline.
The firm said in December 2023, while announcing a long-term deal with Australian LNG player Woodside, that it expects to take a final investment decision on the first two trains in the first half of this year.
In January, the LNG terminal developer signed another 20-year sales and purchase agreement with a unit of US energy giant ExxonMobil for 1.2 million tonnes per year of LNG on a free-on-board basis.
This is the third SPA Mexico Pacific signed with ExxonMobil LNG Asia Pacific following two 20-year deals announced in February last year for a combined 2 mtpa of LNG.
In November 2023, Mexico Pacific awarded the engineering, procurement, and construction contract for the pipeline which will deliver natural gas to the proposed facility.
The 500-mile (850km) pipeline will be utilized as the primary natural gas supply path for the transportation of up to 2.8 Bcf/d natural gas from the US border to the first phase of Mexico Pacific’s 15 mtpa Saguaro Energia LNG export facility.