Cheniere Energy Partners, a subsidiary of Cheniere Energy, has initiated permitting process for the expansion of LNG export capacity at the Sabine Pass terminal located in Cameron Parish, Louisiana.

Cheniere announced on 23 February that the pre-filing review process has been initiated under the National Environmental Policy Act with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) for the proposed Sabine Pass Stage 5 expansion project adjacent to the existing Sabine Pass liquefaction project.

The expansion is being designed for a total production capacity of approximately 20 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of LNG.

It will include up to three large-scale liquefaction trains, each with a production capacity of approximately 6.5 mtpa of LNG, a boil-off-gas re-liquefaction unit with an approximate production capacity of 0.75 mtpa of LNG, and two 220,000 m3 LNG storage tanks. The expansion project is being designed with accommodations for waste heat recovery as well as carbon capture from acid gas removal units.

This expansion is expected to benefit from the significant existing infrastructure at the Sabine Pass and contemplates various enhancements to its current capabilities, including optimized ship loading at the existing marine facilities. Feed gas related to the expansion is expected to be transported via a combination of new and existing pipelines currently supplying the project.