Freeport LNG terminal in Texas shut down due to Hurricane Beryl

US LNG terminal operator Freeport LNG has shut down its three-train liquefaction and export plant in Texas due to Hurricane Beryl.

“We safely ramped down production at our liquefaction facility on Sunday, July 7, ahead of Hurricane Beryl making landfall,” a Freeport LNG spokeswoman told LNG Prime in an emailed statement on Monday.

“We intend to resume operations once it is safe to do so,” she said, adding that the “safety of our personnel and the community is Freeport LNG’s top priority”.

Hurricane Beryl made landfall near Matagorda, Texas early Monday morning local time with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph (120 kmh), according to the National Hurricane Center.

“Steady weakening is expected as the center moves inland, and Beryl is expected to weaken to a tropical storm later today and to a tropical depression on Tuesday,” it said.

Cheniere’s 15 mtpa Corpus Christi LNG export facility in also located in Texas, but the facility continues to produce LNG.

“Cheniere continues to monitor Beryl’s progress. Based on the storm’s projected path, our Corpus Christi Liquefaction (CCL) facility in Gregory, Texas has implemented its severe-weather preparedness plan. The facility is secure, and LNG production continues uninterrupted,” a spokeswoman for Cheniere said on Monday.

“All non-essential personnel have been released from work. Our Gulf Coast assets, including our CCL and Sabine Pass liquefaction facilities, have robust and proven severe-weather preparedness plans and procedures in place, as the safety of our people, community and environment is our top priority,” she said.

Freeport LNG boosting capacity

In May, Freeport LNG resumed operations at all of its three liquefaction trains.

Prior to that, the LNG terminal operator said on March 20 that only the third liquefaction train was operating.

Freeport LNG also used the outage to accelerate a debottlenecking project that will result in the installation of additional compressor capacity across the facility’s three liquefaction unit trains.

The debottlenecking project will increase Freeport LNG’s production capacity from an excess of 15 mtpa to just over 16.5 mtpa.

Freeport LNG’s spokeswoman previously said that the LNG terminal operator has completed the “vast majority of the work related to our debottlenecking project and are working to implement the benefits of those efforts”.

The spokeswoman said on Monday that Freeport LNG has “no further comment at this time”.

Besides the debottlenecking project, Freeport LNG’s planned train 4, which has received all regulatory approvals, would add an additional 25 percent LNG production capacity.

Of the 15 mtpa of Freeport LNG’s export capacity, 13.4 mtpa has been sold to Osaka Gas, Jera, BP, TotalEnergies, and SK E&S.

(Article updated to include a statement by Cheniere.)

Most Popular

Shell adds another LNG carrier to its fleet

A unit of UK-based LNG giant Shell has added another chartered liquefied natural gas carrier to its fleet.

Chevron, China’s ENN seal second LNG SPA

US energy giant Chevron has signed a second LNG sales and purchase agreement with Chinese independent gas distributor ENN.

Venture Global gets OK to introduce gas to final Plaquemines LNG block

US LNG exporter Venture Global LNG has received approval from the US FERC to introduce natural gas to the 18th and final liquefaction block at the Plaquemines LNG terminal in Louisiana as part of the plant’s commissioning process.

More News Like This

Spot LNG shipping rates down this week

Spot charter rates for the global liquefied natural gas (LNG) carrier fleet and European prices dropped this week compared to the previous week.

US LNG exports reach 28 cargoes

US liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants shipped 28 cargoes during the week ending August 27. According to the Energy Information Administration, pipeline deliveries to the LNG terminals rose compared to the prior week.

Trafigura, Kogas seal long-term US LNG supply deal

LNG trader Trafigura has signed a long-term deal to supply US LNG to South Korean importer Kogas.

Dutch terminals remained top destinations for US LNG in June

Dutch Gate and Eemshaven LNG terminals remained the top destinations for US liquefied natural gas cargoes in June, according to the Department of Energy’s LNG monthly report.