Cheniere Energy, Inc. announced today that its subsidiary Corpus Christi Liquefaction, LLC has entered into a LNG sale and purchase agreement with Woodside Energy Trading Singapore Pte Ltd. As part of this agreement, Woodside has agreed to purchase approximately 0.85 million tonnes per annum of LNG from Train 2 of the Sabine Pass LNG export facility being developed near Corpus Christi Texas.

Gulf LNG Liquefaction Co. hosted a community open house last Thursday night where local politicians, port and business leaders, and residents gathered to review information and ask questions about a proposed $8 billion project to add on to an existing liquefied natural gas storage terminal in Pascagoula, Mississippi. This open house was required as part of the pre-filing process Gulf LNG has already begun with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

Oregon’s Land Use Board of Appeals told the Clatsop County commissioners that they must reconsider the land use permit previously denied for a pipeline to serve Oregon LNG’s proposed LNG export terminal in Warrenton. The Board of Appeals determined that one of the commissioners was biased against the project and should have recused himself from the initial 5-0 decision to deny the permit. The county will hold an executive session next Wednesday to review the Board’s decision.

Earlier this week, the U.S. House of Representatives passed, with strong bi-partisan support, H.R. 6 which would expedite the timeline for LNG export applications.  It is uncertain if a similar bill will be adopted in the Senate.  Congressman Cory Gardner, author of H.R. 6, called on Sen. Mary Landrieu, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairwoman, to support the bill in the Senate.  Another almost identical bill has been introduced in the Senate by Colorado’s Sen. Mark Udall.  Congressman Gardner is challenging Sen. Udall for his Senate seat this fall.

The Edmonton Economic Development Corporation (EEDC) announced plans to build a 1,000 acre industrial park in Sturgeon County, including a facility to make LNG to export to China.  EEDC signed a memorandum of understanding with two partners – Gascana AB Energy Ltd. And Gascana-Sino Industrial Park Administrative Committee Inc. – to complete the Sino Canada Natural Gas Development Initiative.  The Initiative would focus on refining, upgrading, and manufacturing LNG.  The industrial park would be built over five years, with an estimated total investment of $4 billion in construction.  Read more in the EEDC press release.

On Wednesday, Golar LNG announced the pricing of its offering of 11 million shares of common stock at $54 per share.  The stock opened trading today at the price of 59.27, a 9.8% increase from the offering price.  Golar LNG granted its underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to an additional 1,650,000 common shares.  Proceeds from the public offering will go towards funding a project converting a LNG carrier into a floating liquefaction natural gas vessel, which is currently under a conditional agreement with Keppel Shipyard Limited.

On Wednesday, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 6, a bill to, among other purposes, expedite approval for the export of LNG to World Trade Organization countries.  The bill passed 266-150, and it would reduce the timeline for DOE approval from 90 days to 30 days following the conclusion of the NEPA environmental review of the LNG facilities.  The bill now must be considered, and voted on, by the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee.

The Commonwealth of Virginia responded to FERC’s Environmental Assessment (EA) for the proposed construction of and improvements to Dominion Cove Point LNG’s liquefication facilities at the existing Cove Point LNG Terminal located in Lusby, Maryland.  Virginia agencies concluded that, if activities follow the recommendations in the Impacts and Mitigation section, the proposal is unlikely to have significant adverse effects.  Virginia’s response can be found here, and the complete docket for the project can be found on eLibrary under Docket No. CP13-113.

FERC has released an update on the status of its review of Golden Pass LNG’s application for an export facility at an existing import terminal in Jefferson County, Texas, a new three-mile long pipeline in Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana, three new compressor stations in Jefferson County, Texas, Orange County, Texas, and Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana.  The project also includes modifications to eleven existing interconnections with other pipeline systems.  FERC has recently responded with comments to Golden Pass’s draft resource reports.  FERC is currently conducting an environmental analysis of the planned project. After FERC receives a formal application, FERC will release a draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).  The draft EIS will be made available for public comment before FERC releases a final EIS.  FERC’s update can be found here, and the complete docket for the Golden Pass LNG Project can be found on eLibrary under Docket No. PF13-14.

Dean Girdis, CEO of Downeast LNG, announced that the company is altering the proposed Washington County, Maine, facility to be a “bi-directional facility.”   The facility would handle both the import and export of natural gas.  The proposed project would have the ability to liquefy 2 million tons of LNG (270 mmcfd of gas) per year or regasify 100 mmcfd of LNG, based on market conditions.  The announcement comes a month after FERC’s final environmental impact statement in favor of the facility, released in May 2014, on the original proposal.  Downeast LNG plans to submit Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and non-FTA export requests with the Department of Energy and enter the pre-filing process with FERC within the month.  The press release can be found here.  The complete docket for the Downeast LNG import terminal can be found on eLibrary under Docket No. CP07-52.