The Office of Fossil Energy gives notice of receipt of an Application filed February 22, 2013, by Freeport-McMoRan Energy LLC (FMMRE), seeking a long-term multi-contract authorization to export domestically produced liquefied natural gas (LNG) up to the equivalent of 1,176 billion cubic feet of natural gas per year to Free Trade Agreement (FTA) countries and non-FTA countries. Authorization is for a 30-year period commencing on the earlier of the date of first export or ten years from the date the authorization is issued. FMMRE proposes to export LNG from the proposed Main Pass Energy Hub Deepwater Port, located 16 miles offshore of Louisiana to any country that has, or in the future will have, the capacity to import LNG via ocean-going carrier, with which the United States has, or in the future enters into, an FTA requiring national treatment for trade in natural gas. FMMRE proposes to also export LNG from the proposed Main Pass Energy Hub Deepwater Port, located 16 miles offshore of Louisiana to any country that does have, or in the future will have, the capacity to import LNG via ocean-going carrier, with which the United States does not have an FTA requiring national treatment for trade in natural gas. A federal register notice will not be issued for the FTA portion of this application. A federal register notice will be issued for the non-FTA portion of this application. Order 3290 for FTA portion was issued on 05/24/13.
Change in Control: MPEH LLC is now the authorization holder of the FTA authorization issued in DOE/FE Order 3290, as well as the applicant in the still pending request for non-FTA authorization as of November 30, 2017 as granted by the Department of Energy.
DOE will consider one or more of the following studies examining the cumulative impacts of exporting domestically produced LNG:
- Effect of Increased Levels of Liquefied Natural Gas on U.S. Energy Markets, conducted by the U.S. Energy Information Administration upon DOE’s request (2014 EIA LNG Export Study);
- The Macroeconomic Impact of Increasing U.S. LNG Exports, conducted jointly by the Center for Energy Studies at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and Oxford Economics, on behalf of DOE (2015 LNG Export Study); and
- Macroeconomic Outcomes of Market Determined Levels of U.S. LNG Exports, conducted by NERA Economic Consulting on behalf of DOE (2018 LNG Export Study)
Additionally, DOE will consider the following environmental documents:
- Addendum to Environmental Review Documents Concerning Exports of Natural Gas From the United States, 79 FR 48132 (Aug. 15, 2014) and
- Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Perspective on Exporting Liquefied Natural Gas from the United States, 79 FR 32260 (June 4, 2014).