Venture Global urges FERC to approve Plaquemines LNG workforce boost

Venture Global LNG has asked the US FERC for expedited review of its request to increase the peak workforce at the site of its Plaquemines LNG export plant in Louisiana.

In May last year, Venture Global took a final investment decision on the first phase of the project and the related pipeline.

Plaquemines LNG phase one customers include PKN Orlen, Sinopec, CNOOC, Shell, and EDF. The first phase has a capacity of 13.33 mtpa.

Earlier this year, the firm sanctioned the second phase of the Plaquemines LNG export plant in Louisiana.

As per Plaquemines LNG phase two customers, they include ExxonMobil, Chevron, EnBW, New Fortress Energy, China Gas, Petronas, and Excelerate Energy.

The full project, including the second stage, will have a capacity of 20 mtpa coming from 36 modular units, configured in 18 blocks.

Together, phase one and phase two represent about $21 billion of investment.

A joint venture of KBR and Zachry is in charge of building the entire project.

First LNG exports in 2024

In a filling with the US FERC in December last year, Venture Global’s Plaquemines LNG has requested authorization to increase the peak workforce to up to 6,000 per day.

Plaquemines LNG also asked FERC to increase traffic volumes to accommodate the additional workforce, and implement a 24-hours-per-day, 7-days per-week construction schedule for the project.

In addition, Plaquemines LNG sought approval for an additional parking/laydown area referred to as the State Highway 23 (SH23) Yard.

Plaquemines LNG said in a filling with the US FERC dated June 30 that it hopes to start exports of LNG as soon as late 2024 and to complete the construction of both phases of the project by the end of 2026.

To that end, and in the face of certain construction delays resulting from inclement weather, Plaquemines LNG filed variance requests seeking authorization to extend its nighttime construction activities and increase workforce, it said.

Plaquemines LNG said authorizing the amendment would enable the firm to expedite the on-going construction of its LNG export terminal.

“Plaquemines LNG respectfully urges you to direct the Commission Staff to finalize expeditiously the order authorizing the proposed amendment and to schedule Commission action issuing that order as soon as it is ready, acting either notationally or at the Commission’s July 27 open meeting,” it said in the filling.

Large LNG export capacity

This is Venture Global LNG’s second project after the Calcasieu Pass plant in Louisiana with a capacity of 10 mtpa.

Venture Global has not yet declared the start of commercial operations at the Calcasieu Pass facility.

Besides these two facilities, Venture Global sold almost half of the volumes for its proposed CP2 LNG export terminal in Louisiana.

Acording to the firm, it has sold 9.25 mtpa of the 20 mtpa nameplate capacity for CP2 up to date.

Venture Global expects to start construction on the CP2 LNG terminal, located next to its Calcasieu Pass facility, later in 2023.

In addition to these three projects, Venture Global plans to develop the Delta LNG project in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana.

This facility would have a total capacity of 20 mtpa as well.

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