Freeport LNG requests FERC authorization to return to commercial operation

Freeport LNG Development LP has requested US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) authorization to progress to the full, commercial operations of its 15-million tonne/year (tpy) Phase I liquefaction plant on Quintana Island, Tex. Phase I includes three 5-million tpy liquefaction trains, two 160,000-cu m storage tanks, and one loading dock.

Dock 1 and Loop 1 LNG transfer piping have been fully reinstated, and on Feb. 11, 2023, loaded 152,000-cu m Kmarin Diamond, chartered by a unit of bp PLC, one of Freeport LNG’s term customers. Train 3 has been restarted and is ready to ramp up to full production rates. Train 2 has completed its pre-startup safety review (PSSR) and is ready to begin its restart, and Train 1 will follow “within the next few weeks,” according to Freeport LNG. Tanks 1 and 2 have remained in operation throughout recovery from the June 2022 ignition of a natural gas vapor cloud and subsequent fire (OGJ Online, June 9, 2022).

Freeport LNG noted in a letter to FERC requesting the resumption of full operations that the LNG trains were not involved in the June 8 incident and thus no restoration work was performed on them. “As such, restart of those trains does not entail the review or verification of any restoration work,” the company continued, asking permission to commence restart of Trains 1 and 2 once both trains have completed PSSR.

Having completed repairs and performed other remedial actions, Freeport last month obtained FERC’s approval to commission Loop 1 and reinstate its boil-off gas management system (OGJ Online, Jan. 27, 2023). Thereafter, Freeport obtained additional approvals from FERC, including authorization to return Loop 1 to service, including berthing and loading LNG vessels from Dock 1, and cooldown and restart of Train 3.

Freeport says it has already performed a full PSSR of Train 2, identified and completed corrective work necessary to safely restart the unit, and is ready to do so. PSSR of Train 1 and any necessary corrective work will follow.

The company last year, but before the explosion, requested a 26-month FERC extension to put 5.1-million tpy Train 4 in service (OGJ Online, May 19, 2022).