With clearance in hand, US player ready to push LNG export to non-FTA countries off the ground

U.S. energy infrastructure player New Fortress Energy (NFE) is all set to make a start on liquefied natural gas (LNG) export to non-free trade agreement (FTA) countries from its floating LNG (FLNG) unit off the coast of Altamira, Mexico.

Thanks to the authorization from the United States Department of Energy (DOE), enabling export of up to around 1.4 million tonnes per annum of LNG to non-free trade agreement countries New Fortress Energy’s Fast LNG 1 (FLNG 1) asset is now able to export LNG to markets and customers worldwide for a term of five years.

The FLNG project, which recently started production at NFE’s inaugural installation and had its first LNG cargo transported by Energos Infrastructure’s Energos Princess LNG carrier (LNGC) to Mexico’s terminal for unloading, got the green light from the U.S. Department of Energy for the export of United States-sourced LNG to Mexico and other free trade agreement countries before start-up.

Wes Edens, Chairman and CEO of New Fortress Energy, commented: “This important authorization cements NFE’s position as a leading global vertically integrated gas-to-power company and enhances the marketability of our FLNG 1 asset. NFE is now able to freely supply cheaper and cleaner natural gas to underserved markets across the world and further our goal of accelerating the world’s energy transition.”

Expansion of the FLNG project, which currently entails three repurposed jack-up rigs off the coast of Altamira with a capacity of 1.4 mtpa, is being actively pursued as confirmed by NFE when it completed its previously announced $700 million loan for its second unit, FLNG 2.

The construction works are scheduled to be finished in the first half of 2026. The U.S. company can export up to 7.8 million metric tons through April 2028 from the Altamira Fast LNG facility.