September 05, 2024 [LNG Prime]- North America’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) export capacity is on track to more than double between 2024 and 2028, according to the US Energy Information Administration.

The LNG export capacity will rise from 11.4 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in 2023 to 24.4 Bcf/d in 2028, if projects currently under construction begin operations as planned, the agency said in a report.

During this time, EIA expects developers in Mexico and Canada to place their first LNG export terminals into service and in the US to add to existing LNG capacity.

By the end of 2028, the agency estimates LNG export capacity will grow by 0.8 Bcf/d in Mexico, 2.5 Bcf/d in Canada, and 9.7 Bcf/d in the US from a total of 10 new projects that are currently under construction in the three countries.

Mexico

The agency noted developers are currently constructing two projects with a combined LNG export capacity of 0.6 Bcf/d—Fast LNG Altamira offshore on Mexico’s east coast and Energía Costa Azul on Mexico’s west coast.

NFE’s Fast LNG Altamira consists of two floating LNG production units (FLNG), each with a capacity to liquefy up to 0.199 Bcf/d of natural gas, located off the coast of Altamira, in the state of Tamaulipas, Mexico.

Natural gas from the US delivered via the Sur de Texas-Tuxpan pipeline will supply these units.

The first LNG cargo from this facility was shipped in August 2024.

Moreover, Sempra Infrastructure’s Energía Costa Azul LNG export terminal (0.4 Bcf/d export capacity) is located at the site of the existing LNG regasification (import) terminal in Baja California in western Mexico.

Developers proposed an expansion of this project in Phase 2 by 1.6 Bcf/d.

This project will be supplied with natural gas from the Permian Basin in the US.

Te agency said developers have also proposed other LNG export projects, all for Mexico’s west coast, including Saguaro Energia LNG (2 Bcf/d capacity), Amigo LNG (1 Bcf/d capacity), Gato Negro LNG (0.6 Bcf/d capacity), Salina Cruz LNG (0.4 Bcf/d capacity), and Vista Pacifico LNG (0.5 Bcf/d capacity), with a combined capacity of 4.5 Bcf/d.

However, none of these projects have reached a final investment decision or started construction, EIA said.

Canada

Currently, three LNG export projects with a combined capacity of 2.5 Bcf/d are under construction in British Columbia on Canada’s west coast.

Shell’s LNG Canada (1.8 Bcf/d export capacity) plans to start LNG exports from Train 1 in the summer of 2025, while Woodfibre LNG (export capacity 0.3 Bcf/d) targets the startup of LNG exports in 2027.

Cedar LNG—an FLNG project with capacity to liquefy up to 0.4 Bcf/d—made a final investment decision in June 2024 and expects to start LNG exports in 2028.

These projects will be supplied with natural gas from western Canada.

In addition, the Canada Energy Regulator (CER) has authorized four LNG export projects, including an expansion of LNG Canada, with a combined proposed LNG export capacity of 4.1 Bcf/d, the agency said.

US

In the US, five LNG export projects are currently under construction with a combined export capacity of 9.7 Bcf/d, the agency said.

These include Venture Global LNG’s Plaquemines (Phase I and Phase II), Cheniere’s Corpus Christi Stage III, Golden Pass, owned by QatarEnergy and ExxonMobil, NextDecade’s Rio Grande (Phase I), as well as Sempra’s Port Arthur (Phase I).

Developers expect to produce the first LNG from Plaquemines LNG and Corpus Christi LNG Stage III and ship first cargoes from these projects by the end of 2024, the agency said.