HOUSTON, Oct. 2 (UPI) -- A U.S. Energy Department decision to grant liquefied natural gas exports from Lake Charles, La., means project planning can begin, companies said.
BG Group and its partners at Energy Transfer announced they reached an agreement on the development of an LNG gas export project at an existing import site in Lake Charles.
The announcement follows a decision from the U.S. Energy Department that gives the partners the right to export as much as 15 million tons of LNG per year to countries that don't have a free-trade agreement with the United States.
"BG Group views Lake Charles as an attractive, low cost LNG supply option and is one of the most advanced LNG development projects in its portfolio," it said in a statement Tuesday.
BG Group and Energy Transfer said they were preparing to file an application with the Federal Energy Regulatory commission formally by the end of first quarter 2014.
The U.S. government needs to determine if LNG exports to non-FTA countries are in the public interest before consenting to export licenses.
U.S. Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz expressed support for LNG exports when he took office in May.
BG Group said it expects to make a final investment decision on the project by 2015.
