New LNG Deepwater Port Applications

The US Coast Guard and the Maritime Administration have received six applications for the licensing of deepwater ports involving proposed LNG facilities. The facilities would receive LNG ships, re-gasify the LNG offshore, and transport the natural gas to onshore markets through new pipelines that interconnect with existing pipelines.

The world’s first LNG terminal to come online is Energy Bridge in the Gulf of Mexico, 116 mi off Louisiana. Advanced Production and Loading AS of Norway (APL) supplied and installed its Submerged Turret Loading buoy system, which loads crude oil offshore, to Energy Bridge in February. The terminal is owned and operated by Excelerate Energy LLC.

The STL system can deliver gas volumes in excess of 500 MMcf/d. The first offshore discharge of an LNG carrier was expected to take place in March. The LNG vessels using this terminal are standard LNG carriers with onboard re-gasification and STL shipboard equipment.

(source). Moving the LNG ports offshore saves the whining of the NIMBYs, I guess, but it does add to the cost.