Freeport LNG Development, LP has announced that it has received regulatory approvals from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) to restart Train 1.
This is the final train from Freeport LNG’s three-train liquefaction facility to receive restart authorization, the company said in a statement posted on its website. Freeport LNG noted in the statement that trains 2 and 3 returned to full commercial operation “in recent weeks” and revealed that they had reached production levels “in excess of 1.5 billion cubic feet per day”.
“As the reactivation of the Freeport liquefaction facility continues and trains are restarted, changes in feed gas flows and production rates should be anticipated given the duration of the shutdown of the plant,” Freeport LNG said in the statement.
“As previously stated, a conservative ramping profile is expected to occur over the coming weeks to establish full production of three trains,” the company added.
On February 21, Freeport LNG announced that it had received regulatory approval to begin commercial operations at the company’s natural gas export and liquefaction facility. The company noted at the time that the authorization provided for the immediate and full commissioning of a liquefaction train, which it said had already been restarted, “and the gradual restart and full return to service of a second train”.
In that announcement, the company said the restart and return to service of Freeport LNG’s third liquefaction train “will require subsequent regulatory approval once certain operational conditions are met.”
“A conservative ramp-up profile to establish three-train production of approximately 2 billion cubic
feet per day is expected to occur in the coming weeks as stable operation of
each incremental train is established and maintained,” the company noted at the time.
“Operations are initially using two of Freeport LNG’s three LNG storage tanks and one of its two LNG berths. The second LNG berth and third LNG storage tank are expected to return to service in May. The first LNG production and ship loading from the facility began on February 11,” the company added at the time.
In a market update sent to Rigzone ahead of the latest Freeport LNG announcement, Rystad Energy Vice President Emily McClain said: “Freeport LNG intake is increasing rapidly, indicating that an increase in gas exports from the US is imminent.”
“However, domestic demand will likely remain subdued as warmer weather patterns emerge in the coming weeks. Storage withdrawals have barely affected inventories recently, and that won’t change anytime soon with spring in horizon, so expect the US gas market to maintain its bearish sentiment,” McClain added.
“Freeport LNG feed gas levels have risen to more than 1.3 billion cubic feet per day earlier in the week and are expected to rise as the operator continues to increase output from two of its three trains, while still waiting for the green light for the train’s final restart,” McClain continued.
“Although Freeport LNG started late in February, the plant contributed additions of 340 million cubic feet per day to total LNG exports that rose to nearly 11 billion cubic feet per day during the month. With additional volumes forecast, we estimate that LNG exports will average 12.3 billion cubic feet per day in March,” McClain said.
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