Golden Pass LNG, a project delayed after the bankruptcy of its lead contractor in 2024, is closing in on an October commissioning date, an application filed with the U.S. Department of Energy showed.

In a June 26 letter, executives for the joint venture project, Exxon Mobil and QatarEnergy, filed to re-export LNG that the facility plans to import for start-up operations beginning Oct. 1.

“This process is used to cool down the facility, generally the last step before starting to export,” said Zack Van Everen, an analyst at Piper Sandler, in a report on the filing.

According to the request, Golden Pass LNG seeks to sell up to 50 Bcf of natural gas in short-term export deals.

In the document, Golden Pass said it expected Oct. 1 to also be the first day for Train 1 to commence start-up operations. It could take several months for start-up operations to switch to production, followed by a ramp-up.

“This is a good indication that the first train will be up and running in 2026,” Van Everen said. “We model the second train starting to ramp mid-2026, with the last train ramping at the beginning of 2027.”

The document was filed with the Department of Energy, which oversees the export permits for U.S. LNG facilities. The project has already obtained its non-Free Trade agreement permit, which allows it to sell to countries that don’t have a trade deal with the U.S. The permits are crucial for LNG facilities, as the product is sold and traded globally.

Golden Pass’ nameplate capacity will run at about 18 million tonnes a year in Sabine Pass, Texas. The plant would be the ninth LNG export terminal in the U.S., if it starts on schedule.

In May 2024, the project hit a roadblock when its primary contractor, Zachry Group, declared bankruptcy. The parties eventually settled, but the project was pushed back from its original start date in 2024.

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