A final investment decision has been made on the $9.75 billion Commonwealth liquefied natural gas export facility in Cameron Parish.
Construction is underway at the facility and operations are set to begin in 2030. The facility will liquify and export 9.5 million tons of LNG annually. The first phase of the project is expected to generate more than $3 billion in annual export revenue.
Ben Dell, chairman of Commonwealth LNG, said in a statement the occasion “is the culmination of years of strategic planning, strong partnerships and commitment to delivering a fully integrated ‘wellhead-to-water’ project.”
In August 2019, Commonwealth filed a formal application with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission for permits to build an LNG export facility on nearly 400 acres on the west side of the Calcasieu Ship Channel where the channel meets the Gulf of Mexico.
The project drew the ire of environmentalists, who were concerned it would spew pollutants well above the recommended federal levels for maintaining air quality.
Currently, there are four LNG export facilities in Louisiana: Sabine Pass, Cameron, Calcasieu Pass and Plaquemines. CP2 is under construction, with the first phase set to open in the second half of 2027, while Woodside Louisiana is set to open in 2029.