FERC issues final EIS for Cheniere’s Corpus Christi LNG project

The US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission has issued a final environmental impact statement (EIS) for Cheniere Energy Inc.’s proposed Corpus Christi LNG project. It said approval of the proposed project, with mitigation measures the EIS recommends, would ensure impacts in the area would be avoided or minimized, and not be significant.

The project would enable Houston-based Cheniere to export 2.1 bcfd of LNG and import sufficient LNG volumes to send out 400 MMcfd of gas, FERC said on Oct. 8.

Facilities would include three liquefaction trains, each capable of liquefying 700 MMcfd of gas; two trains of ambient air vaporizers and send-out pumps, each capable of vaporizing sufficient LNG to send out 200 MMcfd of gas; three storage tanks, each capable of holding LNG equal to 3.4 bcf of gas; and a marine terminal with two LNG carrier berths.

The project also would include 23 miles of 48-in. gas pipeline and two compressor stations with a total of 53,260 hp, FERC said. Cheniere would install additional ancillary facilities along the pipeline including six meter stations, five mainline valves, and a pig launcher and receiver, it indicated.

Conclusions and recommendations in the EIS included input from the US Army Corps of Engineers, US Coast Guard, US Department of Transportation, US Environmental Protection Agency, and US Department of Energy as cooperating agencies, FERC said. They also will present conclusions or determinations in their own records of decision for the project.

FERC members will consider the staff’s recommendations and comments received in reaching a final decision regarding the proposed project, the agency said.

Contact Nick Snow at [email protected].