US LNG exporter Cheniere and compatriot Bechtel have completed more than half of the work on the expansion phase at the Corpus Christi LNG export plant in Texas.
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 Bechtel officially started construction on the project in October the same year.
The project was 48.1 percent complete in November 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 December construction report filed with the US FERC this week that overall project completion for the Stage 3 project is 51.4 percent.
Stage 3 engineering and procurement are 83.7 percent and 72.2 percent complete, respectively, while subcontract and direct hire construction work are 66.9 percent and 11.1 percent complete, respectively, it said.
First train concrete work “significantly” complete
During December, CCL’s contractor Bechtel continued piling activities, road improvements, drainage work, and mobilization of temporary facilities, equipment, and personnel.
Piling and soil stabilization teams are making progress in trains 5, 6, and 7, while concrete work in train 1 is “significantly” complete, the firm said.
Concrete pouring is also underway in train 2 and train 3, and loading of aboveground piping spools is progressing in train 1.
Several large pieces of equipment have been installed including train 1 refrigeration compressors, train 1 liquefaction substation, train 2 cold boxes, the GIS substation, and train 2 utility substation, it said.
In August last year, first cold boxes arrived at the site.
US equipment manufacturer Chart Industries received in 2022 full notice to proceed for the expansion project from Bechtel for its IPMSR process and equipment activities.
First LNG production by end of 2024
Cheniere previously said that LNG deliveries from the expansion project will 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.
He said in November that construction on Corpus Christi Stage 3 “continues to progress ahead of plan, and I am optimistic first LNG production from train 1 will occur by the end of 2024.”