Houston-based LNG player Cheniere Energy is launching the development of its second LNG export terminal at Corpus Christi, Texas, building upon its export capabilities in the Gulf of Mexico. Cheniere is currently developing an LNG export project at the Sabine Pass LNG terminal in Louisiana through its subsidiary, Cheniere Energy Partners L.P.
For the Corpus Christi Project, Cheniere has initiated the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's National Environmental Policy Act pre-filing review for the proposed natural-gas liquefaction terminal through Corpus Christi Liquefaction.
The Corpus Christi Project would be underpinned by the significant resources under development in the Eagle Ford Shale, which covers nearly 12,000 square miles in South Texas and ranks among the largest shale discoveries in the U.S. Geologic studies commissioned by Cheniere estimate recoverable oil and gas resources in the Eagle Ford Shale at over 180 trillion cubic feet equivalent, or 30 billion barrels of oil equivalent. There are approximately 200 rigs currently drilling in the Eagle Ford Shale, with increasing emphasis placed on development of the play's oil and condensate reservoir window, where significant quantities of associated natural gas rich in NGL content can be produced.
"Given the strong customer interest for capacity at the Sabine Pass Project, we have decided to initiate the development of our next liquefaction project. With our newly proposed project, we will be able to provide up to an additional 13.5 mtpa of liquefaction capacity in the Gulf of Mexico," said Charif Souki, Chairman and CEO. "We believe this is a very attractive project for global LNG buyers given its proximity to the Eagle Ford Shale, one of the most prolific shale discoveries in recent history, and look forward to discussions with interested parties."
The Corpus Christi site consists of approximately 664 acres, including 212 acres owned, 52 acres under a lease option and 400 acres of permanent easement. The site is located on the La Quinta Channel on the northeast side of Corpus Christi Bay in San Patricio County, Texas, and is approximately 15 nautical miles from the coast. Depending on feasibility and market interest, the Corpus Christi Project is expected to be constructed in phases, with each LNG train commencing operations approximately six to nine months after the previous train.
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