Cameron LNG begins restart operations

The 15mn t/yr Cameron LNG at Hackberry, Louisiana in the US has begun restart operations of one of its three production trains, following the partial restoration of power to the site on 18 September by electricity provider Entergy.

Cameron LNG said on 18 September that partial restoration of power to the facility has allowed it to "initiate testing of the systems" and "commence the restart process on the first train".

This follows Cameron operator Sempra Energy chief executive Jeffrey Martin saying the previous day that the firm expected Cameron LNG "to be in full operations in six weeks," which would mean the end of October.

Utility Entergy also said last week that it would restore electricity to most customers in southwest Louisiana by 23 September, while remaining customers that can safely accept power will start receiving electricity by 30 September. Cameron LNG relies on Entergy for its power supplies, which were cut after Hurricane Laura made landfall on the US Gulf Coast on 27 August and caused major damage to power infrastructure.

Term buyers at the facility said last week that they expected the plant to restart in a phased manner, with the first loading targeted for 8-10 October. They also expect that the plant's second train will be the first of the three trains to resume operations, with access to power at the plant starting from 17 September.

Term offtakers and co-owners in the Cameron facility include Japanese trading houses Mitsubishi and Mitsui and Total. These firms have supply agreements with Asia-Pacific buyers, including Taiwan's state-owned CPC, India's state-controlled IOC and Japan's Jera, Kansai Electric, Tokyo Gas, Toho Gas and Tohoku Electric.

Cameron LNG also said it is "in close contact with the US Army Corp of Engineers regarding their restoration timelines for the Calcasieu Ship Channel for vessel access to [the] facility."

A build-up of debris in the waterway leading to the plant as a result of the hurricane has restricted access to large vessels although dredging work is under way. The US Coast Guard continued to restrict passage through the Calcasieu Ship Channel to vessels with a draught below 36 feet (11m) as of 19 September. The draught refers to the water depth a ship needs to float and not touch the bottom. LNG tankers typically have a draught of around 12m.

By Camille Klass