Dominion Cove Point's听liquefied natural gas, LNG, terminal in the U.S. state of Maryland has become the fifth project to get approval from the U.S. government.听
The U.S.听Energy Department announced last Thursday听that it has issued a final authorization for Dominion Cove Point LNG, LP to export听domestically produced LNG to countries that the U.S.听does not have a free trade agreement,听FTA.听
"The Cove Point LNG Terminal in Calvert County, Maryland is authorized to export LNG up to the equivalent of 0.77 billion听cubic feet (23 million cubic meters) of natural gas a day for a period of 20 years, the Energy Department said in a statement on its website.听
"The development of U.S. natural gas resources is having a transformative impact on the U.S. energy landscape," said the department in the statement.听
With the shale boom in 2008, the U.S. has significantly raised its shale gas production, from 2 billion cubic feet (60 million cubic meters) in 2008 to 11.4 billion cubic feet (340 million cubic meters) in 2013, according to the U.S.' Energy Information Administration, EIA.听
"This increase in domestic natural gas production is expected to continue, with EIA听forecasting a record average production rate of 72.4 billion cubic feet (two billion cubic meters) per day听in 2015," the Energy Department said.听
- Previously approved projects
Under the Obama administration, four projects were approved previously to export LNG to non-FTA countries.听
Cheniere's Sabine Pass project in the state of Louisiana听has become the first to acquire an LNG export permit in 2012, and听is expected to ship its first cargo at the end of 2015.
The Freeport听LNG听terminal in Quintana Island, Texas was听authorized on Nov. 14, 2014 to export听LNG听for a total volume of 1.8 billion cubic feet (54 million cubic meters)听per day for a period of 20 years.听
Moreover,听Carib Energy鈥檚 facility in Florida and听Sempra Energy鈥檚 Cameron听LNG听facility in Louisiana were approved in Sept.听10, 2014.
Cameron听LNG听terminal听in Cameron Parish, Louisiana was听authorized to export听up to some听1.7 billion cubic feet (51 million cubic meters) per day听of natural gas for a period of 20 years, while听Carib Energy's facility听in Martin County, Florida was听authorized to export up to some听0.04 billion cubic feet (1.2 million cubic meters) per day听for a period of 20 years.听
The companies that want to export LNG from the U.S. to non-FTA countries听need to get approval from the Department of Energy, which grants authorizations unless the proposed gas exports "will not be consistent with the public interest."
By Ovunc Kutlu
Anadolu Agency
ovunc.kutlu@aa.com.tr
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