US energy company Sempra Energy is readying its new $10bn liquefaction facility Cameron LNG to export a first cargo.
Bloomberg and ship tracking analyst Kpler name the 177,000-cbm LNG carrier newbuilding Marvel Crane as due to arrive at the Louisiana-based new plant on 25 May.
The vessel, which is owned by NYK Line, is one of a number of newbuildings chartered by Japanese trader Mitsui & Co, one of the offtakers from Cameron.
Others point out that sistership Marvel Falcon (built 2018), which has the same owner and charterer, also appears to be closing in on Cameron.
US president Donald Trump is due to visit the plant next week, the White House has confirmed and there is talk that a commissioning ceremony is due to take place for the new facility at some point this month.
Three-train Cameron has been designed to produce 12-million tonnes per annum of LNG.
There are plans to expand the facility with a further two liquefaction trains that would provide an additional 8-mtpa.
The start-up of Cameron was originally scheduled for 2017 and has been delayed several times.
Sempra officials said in a results briefing that the plant’s second LNG train is now scheduled for start-up in first quarter 2020 with the third to follow in the second three months of that year.
Sempra is also developing the 11-mtpa greenfield Port Arthur LNG facility.
The company is also adding and initial 2.4-mtpa of production to its existing Energia Costa Azul LNG import terminal in Baja, California and plans a larger new 12-mtpa on an adjacent site.
News of the Cameron LNG start-up comes amid a backdrop of tense trade negotiations between the US and China, currently the world’s second largest buyer of LNG.
Falling gas prices are also a focus with the US Henry Hub benchmark price currently wallowing at levels around the $2.50 per MMBtu level.
Cameron LNG is jointly owned by affiliates of Sempra LNG & Midstream, Total, Mitsui & Co, and Japan LNG Investment - a company jointly owned by Mitsubishi Corp and NYK Line.
Sempra Energy indirectly owns 50.2% of Cameron LNG.
