Sempra files permits for 27 mtpa Port Arthur LNG expansion

Sempra has filed permit applications for a major expansion of its Port Arthur LNG site in Texas, outlining plans for the Port Arthur LNG North Project with up to 27 million metric tons per annum of added liquefaction capacity.

The proposal calls for four liquefaction trains, each capable of producing up to 6.73 mtpa of LNG under optimal conditions. The filing also includes three LNG storage tanks and marine facilities with up to two LNG berths.

If built, the North Project would add to Sempra’s existing Port Arthur development pipeline. The company is already advancing Phase 1 and Phase 2 at the site, which together have a combined capacity of 26 mtpa. With the proposed North Project, total planned capacity at Port Arthur would approach 53 mtpa.

Expansion plans at an existing site

According to the filing, the new facilities would be constructed on land already owned by Port Arthur LNG. The source article said that could remove one common obstacle for large energy projects, since site acquisition can delay development.

The filing did not include an estimated project cost.

Sempra said the project could begin exporting LNG in the second half of 2034 if it receives regulatory approval and construction stays on schedule.

If regulators approve the project and construction proceeds on schedule, Sempra estimates the North Project could begin exporting LNG in the second half of 2034.

Part of a broader Gulf Coast buildout

The source article said the United States is currently the world’s largest LNG exporter and that dozens of expansion projects have been proposed along the Gulf Coast in recent years.

It also described Southeast Texas as one of the most strategically important LNG export regions, citing its proximity to Gulf of Mexico shipping lanes, existing pipeline infrastructure, and long history of industrial energy development.

The Port Arthur LNG North Project would further expand Sempra’s position in that region. The source article said that, together, all three phases would make Port Arthur one of the single largest LNG export complexes anywhere in the world.

What the filing includes

The permit filing covers a four-train expansion with combined capacity of up to 27 mtpa. In addition to the liquefaction units, Sempra included plans for storage and marine loading infrastructure intended to support LNG exports from the site.

Here is the project status as described in the source article:

If regulators approve the project and construction proceeds on schedule, Sempra estimates the North Project could begin exporting LNG in the second half of 2034.

For now, the permits are pending, and no cost estimate has been disclosed.

Read the source