The Stage 3 expansion project at Cheniere’s Corpus Christi LNG export plant in Texas is almost 53 percent complete, and the US LNG exporting giant is working to start production at the first train later this year.
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 was 51.4 percent complete in December last year.
It 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 January construction report filed with the US FERC last week that overall project completion for the Stage 3 project is 52.7 percent.
Stage 3 engineering and procurement are 86 percent and 72.9 percent complete, respectively, while subcontract and direct hire construction work are 69.5 percent and 12.3 percent complete, respectively.
First train work continues to progress
During January, CCL’s contractor Bechtel continued piling activities, road improvements, drainage work and mobilization of temporary facilities, equipment.
Piling activities continued in trains 5 and 6. Concrete work in train 1 is “significantly complete” and underway in train 2, train 3, and OSBL, the company said.
Moreover, structural steel in train 1 is over halfway complete and has started in train 2 and OSBL, it said.
Underground piping is progressing in train 1, 2, 3, and OSBL and has started in train 4, while aboveground piping is progressing in train 1, train 2, and OSBL West.
CCL said equipment setting is ongoing in Train 1 and Train 2.
First LNG production by end of 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 also confirmed in its 2023 report that it that it expects to achieve first LNG production from the first train at the end of 2024.
Besides this expansion, Cheniere plans to build two more liquefaction trains as part of the third expansion phase at the Corpus Christi plant.
The firm’s results show that it aims to take a final investment decision on CCL midscale trains 8 and 9 in 2025, subject to regulatory approvals.
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 facility.
Cheniere plans to take FID on this project in 2026, subject to regulatory approvals.