Freeport LNG, the operator of the three-train 15 mtpa liquefaction plant in Texas, is still expecting to restart operations in November following an incident at the facility that took place on June 8.
In August, Freeport LNG delayed the restart of the facility on Quintana Island from October to November.
The LNG terminal operator said at the time that initial production would start in “early to mid-November, and ramp up to a sustained level of at least 2 Bcf per day by the end of November, representing over 85 percent of the export capacity of the facility”.
“The November timeframe for the restart of our liquefaction facility remains unchanged,” a Freeport LNG spokeswoman told LNG Prime late on Wednesday.
The spokeswoman did not provide any additional information.
According to its AIS data provided by VesselsValue, the 180,000-cbm LNG carrier, Prism Brilliance, was on Thursday anchored not far from the Freeport LNG facility.
The 2019-built LNG carrier owned by SK Shipping appears to be empty.
The shutdown of the Freeport LNG plant affected supplies and prices in Europe as most of the LNG produced this year at the plant prior to the incident landed in Europe.
Freeport LNG, led by billionaire Michael Smith, launched commercial operations in May 2020 for the third train at its Quintana Island facility.
This event also marked the full commercial operation of Freeport LNG’s $13.5 billion, three-train facility.
BP, Jera, Osaka Gas, SK E&S, and TotalEnergies have long-term contracts with Freeport LNG.
Freeport LNG is also planning to add another production unit with a capacity of 5 mtpa, but it has not yet taken a final investment decision.
US energy regulators recently granted Freeport LNG’s request for a 26-month extension of time to build the fourth liquefaction train.