New Fortress Energy aims to start up second Mexico LNG plant in 2027

US natural gas infrastructure firm New Fortress Energy (NFE) expects to start operations at a second liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant in Altamira, Mexico, in the first half of 2027.

NFE began shipping LNG from an offshore liquefaction plant in the Gulf of Mexico near Altamira in August last year.

Consisting of three repurposed oil rigs, the first plant is named FLNG1 and has capacity to produce 1.4Mt/y (million tons a year) of LNG.

In an investor presentation on January 28, NFE gave more details of a second plant it is developing onshore at Altamira, FLNG2. FLNG2 will have the same nameplate capacity as FLNG1 and is being developed in partnership with state-owned power company CFE.

NFE said that to accelerate construction it is using identical equipment from the same manufacturers that it used for FLNG1. 

Major suppliers to the projects include Siemens, Baker Hughes and Atlas Copco.

Onshore construction will begin in Q3, NFE said, followed by commissioning and start-up in the first half of 2027.

In its investor update, the company said it had spent US$625mn so far on the project.

In December, NFE completed a US$2.7bn refinancing of its debt, extending maturities to 2029. The refinancing will help fund the development of FLNG2, NFE said.