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Last year, FERC approved construction of the terminal supply line facilities.
These facilities include a pig launcher adjacent to the ADCC custody meter, a pipe originating at the pig launcher site and terminating at pig receiver site adjacent to the Stage 3 LNG facilities feed gas inlet, and a jumper line to integrate the pipe with the existing supply line to the existing liquefaction project.
On July 24, 2024, FERC approved introduction of hydrocarbons into the terminal supply line facilities.
Corpus Christi Liquefaction said in a FERC filling dated August 12 that “hydrocarbons were successfully introduced to the system on August 7.”
CCL now requests authorization to “place the terminal supply line facilities in service at the earliest time possible, but no later than August 16, 2024.”
“CCL is not requesting introduction of hydrocarbons into the Stage 3 project facilities at this time,” it said.
More than 62.4 percent complete
Cheniere’s Corpus Christi liquefaction plant now has three operational trains with each having a capacity of about 5 mtpa.
In June 2022, Cheniere took a final investment decision on the Corpus Christi Stage 3 expansion project worth about $8 billion and compatriot Bechtel officially started construction on the project in October the same year.
The project includes building seven midscale trains, each with an expected liquefaction capacity of about 1.49 mtpa.
Cheniere’s unit Corpus Christi Liquefaction said in the June construction report filed with FERC on Monday that overall project completion for the Stage 3 project is 62.4 percent.
The project was 57.6 percent complete as of April 31, 2024.
Stage 3 engineering and procurement are 93.7 percent and 80.3 percent complete, respectively, while subcontract and direct hire construction work are 83.9 percent and 24.4 percent complete, respectively.
First LNG production in 2024
Cheniere initially said that LNG deliveries from the expansion project were expected to begin in 2025 with full production in 2027.
However, Cheniere’s CEO Jack Fusco said in August last year that the company is expecting to complete the expansion phase ahead of schedule.
The company confirmed in its second quarter report that it expects to achieve first LNG production from the first train at the end of 2024.
Also, the company said it expects first gas into the first train 1 in about 2 months.
Substantial completion of the project is expected during 1H 2025 – 2H 2026.
Besides this expansion, Cheniere plans to build two more liquefaction trains as part of the third expansion phase at the Corpus Christi plant.
Cheniere aims to to take a final investment decision on this project in 2025.
In addition, Cheniere also aims to build two new liquefaction trains as part of the Sabine Pass Stage 5 expansion project to add up to 20 mtpa of capacity to the giant 30 mtpa facility.