A second LNG tanker bound for Freeport LNG anchored offshore Texas, though it remained unclear when the facility would export its first cargo, reports Platts.
Freeport their captain’s destination
Both the below mentioned vessels listed Freeport as their captain’s destination.
Methane Heather Sally
The GasLog Partners-owned Methane Heather Sally last picked up a cargo at Nigeria’s Bonny liquefaction terminal around August 3.
According to Platts Analytics vessel-tracking data, it dropped off that cargo at Mexico’s Altamira receiving terminal on August 22.
LNG Jurojin tanker
The unladen Mitsui- and Kansai Electric Power-owned tanker LNG Jurojin has been anchored since August 15 in a queue area for tankers headed to Freeport.
No pilots order for either tanker
An office manager for the Brazos Pilots Association, which guides vessels into and out of the port, said as of early afternoon she did not have a pilots order for either tanker.
Feed gas flows to the terminal south of Houston have been up and down since the operator confirmed August 19 that production had begun.
A Freeport LNG spokeswoman did not respond to a message seeking comment.
Marginally positive LNG month
US LNG netbacks have been trending only marginally positive this month, but the derivatives markets point toward better prices ahead, which should incentivize full contract loadings out of US LNG export facilities.
However, a recent announcement from Mexico that pipeline transport renegotiations have been successful might put a damper on fall LNG pricing as the pending startup of the 2.6 Bcf/d Sur de Texas pipeline could eliminate as much 500 MMcf/d of Mexico LNG demand in short order, Platts Analytics data show.
Freeport LNG startup
- With the startup of Freeport LNG, all six of the export facilities that make up the first wave of major US LNG terminals are producing LNG.
- A dozen of other export facilities are actively being developed for startup in the early to mid-2020s, at a time when the global supply stack could face a shortage.
- Some have difficulty in securing sufficient offtake contracts to finance construction.
Train 1
Freeport LNG has said that Train 1 would begin commercial operations in September, the same month that a third tanker, Soshu Maru, is scheduled to arrive at the terminal, Platts Analytics data show.
That tanker last picked up a cargo around August 2 at Australia’s Darwin terminal and unloaded the LNG at Japan’s Negishi receiving terminal on August 12.
Only 4 active cargoes exporters
Only four of the six major US liquefaction facilities are actively exporting cargoes at the moment.
Kinder Morgan’s Elba Liquefaction
Kinder Morgan’s Elba Liquefaction, the smallest of the six terminals, has been producing LNG for about six weeks, though no tankers appeared to be headed to the facility.
Elba, backed by a 20-year offtake agreement with Shell, will have a capacity of 2.5 million mt/year when all 10 trains are completed early next year.
It could take as long as 100 days for each of the trains at Elba, with nameplate capacity of around 33 MMcf/d, to fill a standard LNG cargo, Platts Analytics data show.
By comparison, a single train at Cheniere Energy’s Sabine Pass terminal in Louisiana could fill a standard LNG cargo in just under six days.
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Source: Platts
