New Fortress Energy’s Fast LNG Obtains DOE Export Authorization

Following authorization from the U.S. DOE, New Fortress Energy (NFE) can export up to approximately 1.4 MTPA of LNG, for a five-year term, to non-Free Trade Agreement (FTA) nations from its Fast LNG 1 (FLNG1) asset offshore Altamira, Mexico. NFE previously received the DOE’s Free Trade Agreement authorization and, with this next step, FLNG 1 will export LNG to markets and customers worldwide.

“This important authorization cements NFE’s position as a global vertically integrated gas-to-power company and enhances the marketability of our FLNG 1 asset,” said Wes Edens, Chairman and CEO of New Fortress Energy. “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.”

Fast LNG 1 offshore Altamira, Mexico; Image Credits: New Fortress Energy

New Fortress Energy LNG News

In July 2024, NFE achieved first LNG for its FLNG 1 asset. The FLNG design uses modular liquefaction technology on jack-up rigs and related offshore infrastructure, enabling faster deployment schedules compared to traditional liquefaction facilities.

With a 1.4 MTPA production capacity—approximately 70 TBtus—FLNG closes the vertical integration of NFE’s LNG portfolio. The asset will NFE in supplying low-cost, clean LNG for downstream terminal customers, adding more than $2 billion of infrastructure and improving the operational capability of NFE’s asset base.

At the beginning of July, NFE signed a definitive agreement with a U.S. middle-market infrastructure fund to sell its small-scale liquefaction and storage facility in Miami, FL, which is expected to close in Q3 2024.

The Miami facility has one liquefaction train capable of producing 8,300 MMBtu of LNG per day and three LNG storage tanks with an approximate total capacity of 1,000 m³. It also contains two separate LNG transfer areas for truck and rail service and is authorized to export up to 60,000 tons per year of LNG to FTA and non-FTA countries for a 20-year term. The LNG export term began on February 5, 2016.

In March 2024, NFE’s Terminal Gas Sul (TGS) LNG terminal entered operation in Santa Catarina, Brazil, along with Energos’ Winter floating storage regasification unit (FSRU) onsite. TGS is an offshore LNG import terminal with an approximate capacity of 6 MTPA (300 TBtu) and a maximum gas send out of 500 mmscf/day.

In addition to the Energos Winter FSRU, the terminal also includes a 33 km, 20-inch pipeline which connects the facility to the inland Brasileira Gasoduto Bolivia-Brasil (TBG) pipeline. The terminal is connected via pipeline to the Brazilian gas market, including more than 3.5 GW of power that does not have long-term gas supply contracts. TGS is also connected to more than 300 TBtu of industrial and residential gas consumers in southern Brazil.