NEW YORK: The US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has authorised the construction of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal offshore Puerto Rico.
Excelerate Energy, a Texas-based company specialising in floating LNG solutions, will develop the project in cooperation with the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority (PREPA).
Approval for the proposed Aguirre Offshore GasPort Project follows on from a favourable Environmental Impact Study (EIS) that found no significant environmental impact.
As proposed, Aguirre will be a floating liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal with the same capabilities as a land-based terminal. It will comprise a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU), infrastructure to moor the vessel, and a subsea pipeline to deliver the gas onshore.
Aguirre Offshore, estimated to cost about $250 million, is a vital part of PREPA’s plan to drive down sky-high energy costs and meet tighter US pollution restrictions. It would help to do this by reducing heavy barge traffic in Jobos Bay.
Excelerate, based in The Woodlands, Houston, Texas, is aiming to begin construction on Aguirre in the first quarter of 2016.
