Houston-based LNG exporter Cheniere Energy said the first commissioning cargo of liquefied natural gas has loaded and departed from its Corpus Christi liquefaction facility in Texas.
The LNG was loaded on the LNG carrier Maria Energy, chartered by Cheniere Marketing, the company said in a statement.
Speaking of the milestone, Cheniere’s president and CEO Jack Fusco noted it is the first export of LNG from the state of Texas as well as first greenfield LNG export facility in the lower 48 states.
The Corpus Christi liquefaction facility consists of three large-scale LNG production units and supporting infrastructure, with an additional seven smaller trains proposed.
The facility’s first train produced first LNG in November and is expected to reach substantial completion in the first quarter of 2019.
Train 2 is expected to reach substantial completion in the second half of 2019, with Train 3 to follow in the second half of 2021.
The facility will also feature three LNG storage tanks with a capacity of approximately 10.1 billion cubic feet equivalent and two marine berths.
The seven smaller trains currently under development would increase the facility’s total expected nominal production capacity to approximately 23 million tons per annum (mtpa), Cheniere said.