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D
espite global oil and natural gas price challenges,
the development of small, mid, and large scale LNG
facilities, as well as the expansion of existing facilities to
provide LNG export or expanded production capability, continues
at an unabated pace in the US. Developers continue to look
towards LNG as a solution for vehicular fuelling, marine bunkering,
truck trailer loading, peak shaving, export by LNG carrier, export by
ISO container, and rail loading.
Several permits may be required before approval can be
obtained to construct or expand an LNG facility in the US,
including permits (orders) from the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission (FERC), the Department of Transportation Pipeline
and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (DOT PHMSA),
the US Department of Energy (DOE), the US Coast Guard (USCG),
as well as from state or local agencies.
In the US, FERC is the lead agency responsible for reviewing
an application and issuing permits to construct and operate LNG
facilities that plan to export LNG to foreign countries or engage in
interstate commerce. Several developers/owners have already
received permits to construct or expand LNG facilities from FERC
andmany more should be receiving theirs this year.
However, since the permits are conditional, applicants need to
overcome additional regulatory hurdles before they can actually
commence construction of their proposed facilities. Applicants
need to develop plans to efficiently transition fromproject
development (permitting) into execution (construction), which
requires a careful alignment of the project needs, construction
plans and the regulatory process. This is why implementation
planning is essential.
Project specific approach
All projects are different and have their own unique challenges or
hurdles, including the following:
Development teams with resources fromdifferent sources.
Timelines, including offtaker commitments.
Phil Suter, Jenna Wilson and Arthur Ransome,
CH·IV International, USA,
discuss the importance
of implementation planning when transitioning
from permitting to executing an LNG project.
ACTION
Putting a plan into
