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The regulator said on Thursday it had granted Venture Global Plaquemines LNG to commission and introduce hazardous fluids to the liquefaction train system block 1.
This approval is based on FERC staff review of the information filed on November 12 and November 19, 2024, it said.
The FERC noted that approval of other interconnecting systems is required prior to introducing hazardous fluids to LTS block 1.
Venture Global’s newbuild carrier, Venture Bayou, recently arrived at the Plaquemines LNG export plant as the facility nears the launch of its first LNG production.
The 174,000-cbm LNG carrier was on Friday still located at the LNG plant along the Mississippi River, according to its AIS data provided by VesselsValue.
Prior to this vessel, the Plaquemines LNG facility received a cool-down cargo in August onboard the 2020-built 174,000-cbm, Qogir.
In August, Venture Global secured approval to commission the liquefaction train system block 1 with nitrogen.
The FERC granted the commissioning of the liquefaction train system block 4 with nitrogen last month, block 3 on September 30, and block 2 on September 10.
Most recently, Venture Global won approval to commission block 5 with nitrogen.
20 mtpa
Venture Global took a final investment decision in May 2022 on the first phase of the Plaquemines project with a capacity of 13.3 mtpa and the related pipeline. It also secured $13.2 billion in project financing.
In March last year, the company sanctioned the second phase of the Plaquemines LNG export plant in Louisiana and also secured $7.8 billion in project financing.
The full project, including the second stage, will have a capacity of 20 mtpa coming from 36 modular units, configured in 18 blocks.
Each train has a capacity of 0.626 mtpa.
Venture Global previously said it expects to start LNG production this year, while commissioning of the facility is expected to last about two years.