Louisiana LNG lets FEED contract to Bechtel for export site

Louisiana LNG Energy LLC (LLNG) selected Bechtel Corp. to provide front-end engineering and design for a 2-million tonne/year liquefaction plant and LNG export terminal in Louisiana, south of New Orleans near Mile Marker 46 on the east bank of the Mississippi River. The export terminal, with available water depth in excess of 65 ft, will be able to serve LNG carriers up to 175,000-cu m capacity. LLNG expects project completion by late 2017.

Bechtel says its design will use a modular approach, shortening the construction schedule and accommodating future expansion. The plant will use Chart Energy & Chemicals’ proprietary integrated precooled single mixed refrigerant (IPSMR) liquefaction technology consisting of four 74.38 MMcfd trains. The terminal will have 200,000 cu m of total storage capacity divided evenly between two tanks.

LLNG filed Feb. 5 with the US Department of Energy seeking authorization to export LNG to countries with free trade agreements (FTA) with the US and Feb. 18 to export to non-FTA countries.

Bechtel earlier this year completed installation of the first of two LNG production trains for the Santos Ltd.-led 7-million tpy Gladstone LNG plant on Curtis Island, Queensland, Australia (OGJ Online, July 11, 2014). Bechtel is performing engineering, procurement, and construction of three LNG plants on Curtis Island, with the 4.5-million tpy Australia Pacific LNG plant and 8.5-million tpy Queensland Curtis LNG plant joining Gladstone.

Contact Christopher E. Smith at [email protected].