The next large-scale expansion of U.S. LNG export capacity is about to come online. Cheniere Energy announced Dec. 30 that its Corpus Christi Stage 3 Liquefaction Project produced its first LNG.

In a press release, Cheniere, the largest exporter of U.S. LNG, said production came from the first train on a seven-train expansion project that will eventually add a production capacity of 10 million metric tons per annum (10 mtpa) to the facility. Upon completion, the Corpus Christi LNG facility will have a total capacity of 25 mtpa.

Cheniere expects commissioning to continue, with the first train reaching substantial completion in the first quarter of 2025. Construction company Bechtel is building the project and will not hand over custody until the train is completed.

Prior to the expansion project, Corpus Christi LNG originally started LNG production in 2018 and was the first greenfield LNG export facility built in the U.S. The facility is located on the north shore of the Corpus Christi Bay.

Cheniere Produces First LNG in Corpus Christi Expansion Project
(Source: Rextag)

Bechtel had reported at the end of November that the CCL Stage 3 project was 75.9% complete, according to Cheniere.

The project is the second in the U.S. to produce its first LNG in the last month of 2024.

Venture Global announced that it started LNG production at its Plaquemines facility on Dec. 14. Less than two weeks later, the company shipped its first cargo on the Venture Bayou tanker to Germany.

According to VesselFinder.com, LNG tanker Clean Cajun had moored off of Cheniere’ Corpus Christi facility on Dec. 30.

North America’s export capacity is expected to more than double by 2028 from 11.8 Bcf/d to 24.4 Bcf/d, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The next start-up could be months away, but not in the U.S.

LNG Canada will increase natural gas exports from Western Canada when commercial operations begin in mid-year 2025. The new facility on the Canadian west coast is permitted to export up to 14 mtpa of LNG.

After LNG Canada, the forecast is less clear. Exxon and Qatar are developing the 16 mtpa Golden Pass LNG project. The project is expected to start up in late 2025. Exxon recently applied for a three-year extension from 2026 to 2029 for total project completion following a dispute with the primary contractor on the project.

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