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US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright announced the permit extension, which had been delayed by the Biden-Harris administration, in his opening remarks at CERAWeek in Houston on Monday.
Today’s order extends the start date for Delfin’s export authorization for exports of up to 1.8 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of natural gas as LNG to non-free trade agreement countries to June 1, 2029, according to DOE.
DOE said the issuance to Delfin marks the fourth LNG-related approval from DOE since President Trump took office, following an export approval to Commonwealth LNG, an order on rehearing removing barriers for the use of LNG as bunkering fuel, and an approval providing the Golden Pass LNG terminal more time to start exports.
“Delfin, majority-owned by Fairwood Peninsula, Talisman Global Alternative Master, L.P. and Talisman Global Capital Master, L.P., is seeking to reach a final investment decision later this year and have construction begin on its offshore floating liquefied natural gas vessel (FLNGV),” the Department said.
In October 2023, Delfin LNG, a unit of Delfin Midstream, won more time from the US FERC to put into service the project’s onshore facilities in Louisiana.
In March 2024, Delfin sought a five-year extension for its LNG export authorizations from DOE. The firm said at the time it was also in talks with South Korea’s Samsung Heavy to reserve a shipbuilding slot for the first FLNG unit.
After that, the US Maritime Administration (MARAD) said in April that Delfin LNG needs to file an amended application for its floating LNG export project in the Gulf of Mexico to reflect the changes to the project made since 2017.
Delfin plans to install up to four self-propelled FLNG vessels that could produce up to 13.3 mtpa of LNG or 1.7 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas as part of its Delfin LNG project.
Besides this project, it also aims to install two FLNG units under the Avocet LNG project.