Dominion to fire up Cove Point LNG plant in Nov

Dominion Energy on Monday said it expects to start production in November at its Cove Point liquefied natural gas export terminal, the second US facility to ship LNG produced from shale gas. 

Overall, the 5.25 million mt liquefaction facility being built at Dominion’s existing LNG terminal is about 97 percent complete.

“Construction is essentially complete. All processes have been turned over for site commissioning and we have entered the final phase of start-up,” chief executive Thomas Farrell said during Dominion’s third-quarter results conference call.

“We will begin generating LNG next month, then conclude commissioning in December, and expect to be in service by the end of the year,” Farell added.

The production capacity at Cove Point has been almost fully subscribed with India’s GAIL and a joint venture of Japan’s Sumitomo and Tokyo Gas under 20-year terminal service agreements.

Answering a question during the call on potential excess capacity at the plant, Farrell said that any excess capacity on the system will go to Cove Point’s current long-term shippers.

Once in operation, Cove Point will be the second US exporter of LNG sourced from shale gas.

To remind, Houston-based LNG export player Cheniere became the first in February last year when its Sabine Pass liquefaction plant shipped its first cargo to Brazil.

LNG World News Staff