June 06, 2024 [LNG Prime]- The Stage 3 expansion project at Cheniere’s Corpus Christi LNG export plant in Texas is almost 58 percent complete, and the US LNG exporting giant is working to start production at the first train later this year.

Cheniere’s Corpus Christi liquefaction plant now has three operational trains with each having a capacity of about 5 mtpa.

In June 2022, Cheniere took a final investment decision on the Corpus Christi Stage 3 expansion project worth about $8 billion and compatriot Bechtel officially started construction on the project in October the same year.

The project includes building seven midscale trains, each with an expected liquefaction capacity of about 1.49 mtpa.

Cheniere’s unit Corpus Christi Liquefaction said in the April construction report filed with the US FERC last month that overall project completion for the Stage 3 project is 57.6 percent.

The project was 55.9 percent complete as of March 31, 2024.

Stage 3 engineering and procurement are 90.5 percent and 75.2 percent complete, respectively, while subcontract and direct hire construction work are 79.4 percent and 19.3 percent complete, respectively.

Work continues to progress

During the month of April, CCL’s contractor continued piling activities, road improvements, drainage work and mobilization of temporary facilities, equipment, and personnel, it said.

Moreover, piling activities continued in train 7, and OSBL and are anticipated to conclude in May.

Concrete work continues in trains 2, 3, 4, 5 and OSBL, while structural steel continues in trains 2, 3 and OSBL.

Underground piping is progressing in train 1, 2, 3, and OSBL and has started in train 4.

Aboveground piping is progressing in train 1, train 2 and OSBL West.

CCL said equipment setting is ongoing in trains 1, 2, and 3.

The FERC also said in a separate filling it has granted CCL’s request to energize the train 1 substations.

First LNG production by end of 2024

Cheniere initially said that LNG deliveries from the expansion project were expected to begin in 2025 with full production in 2027.

However, Cheniere’s CEO Jack Fusco said in August last year that the company is expecting to complete the expansion phase ahead of schedule.

The company confirmed in its first quarter report that it expects to achieve first LNG production from the first train at the end of 2024.

Substantial completion of the project is expected during 1H 2025 – 2H 2026.

Besides this expansion, Cheniere plans to build two more liquefaction trains as part of the third expansion phase at the Corpus Christi plant.

In addition, Cheniere also aims to build two new liquefaction trains as part of the Sabine Pass Stage 5 expansion project to add up to 20 mtpa of capacity to the giant 30 mtpa facility.