DOE Authorizes Long-Term Small-Scale LNG Exports

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has issued orders authorizing long-term “small-scale natural gas exports” to Blue Water Fuels, LLC (Blue Water Fuels) and SpotX Energy, LLC (SpotX). Under DOE’s regulations, “small-scale natural gas exports” are deemed to be consistent with the public interest under section 3(a) of the Natural Gas Act. Both Blue Water Fuels and SpotX are authorized to export the LNG to nations without a Free Trade Agreement with the United States.

Blue Water Fuels seeks to export over a 20-year term 3.4 Bcf/year (0.009 Bcf/day) of LNG via approved IMO7/TVAC-ASME LNG (ISO) containers loaded at two existing natural gas liquefaction facilities: (i) the Port Allen NuBlu LNG Facility located in Port Allen, La., and owned by HR NuBlu Energy, LLC, and (ii) the Ehrenberg Spectrum LNG Facility located in Ehrenberg, Arizona, and owned by Spectrum LNG. Blue Water Fuels seeks to export the LNG by means of both ocean-going vessels and in ISO containers loaded on container vessels.

SpotX seeks to export over a 20-year term 51.75 Bcf/year (0.14 Bcf/day) of LNG via approved ISO containers loaded from any of 20 identified liquefaction facilities located on the Gulf Coast and shipped via container vessels.