Cheniere to build LA Sabine LNG Export Train

U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) company Cheniere Energy Inc said on Monday it will build the sixth liquefaction train at its Sabine Pass LNG export terminal in Louisiana.

Cheniere also said it expects to make a positive final investment decision as early as 2020 to add about 9.5 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of additional liquefaction capacity at its Corpus Christi LNG export terminal in Texas.

Natural gas use is growing rapidly around the world as countries, like China, seek to wean their industrial and power sectors off dirtier coal. Cheniere is the biggest supplier of U.S. LNG and also the biggest buyer of gas in the country.

Cheniere said it gave Bechtel, the lead contractor building its LNG terminals, notice to proceed with construction of Sabine 6.

To fund a portion of Sabine 6 and a third LNG berth at the plant, Cheniere said its Cheniere Energy Partners LP subsidiary entered into 5-year, $1.5 billion senior secured credit facilities with 29 banks and financial institutions.

Cheniere said it boosted the run-rate production guidance of its liquefaction trains to 4.7–5.0 MTPA of LNG, up from 4.4-4.9 MTPA. That's equivalent to around 0.7 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) of natural gas.

One billion cubic feet of gas is enough to supply about five million U.S. homes for a day.

Reporting by Scott DiSavino