OREANDA-NEWS. May 3, 2012. GDF SUEZ announces the signature of a commercial development agreement with Cameron LNG, a unit of Sempra Energy, regarding the natural gas liquefaction project of Cameron LNG in the United States. This facility will be located at the site of its existing import terminal located in Hackberry, Louisiana. Through this commercial development agreement, GDF SUEZ and Sempra will negotiate a 20 year liquefaction service contract for 4 million tons per annum (MTPA) of liquefied natural gas (LNG).

The LNG plant will have 3 liquefaction trains with a production and export capacity of 12 MTPA and will be operated by Cameron LNG. This new LNG plant is expected to start full operations in late 2016.

Jean-Marie Dauger, Executive Vice-President of GDF SUEZ in charge of the Global Gas & LNG business line commented: “Accessing new LNG volumes from United States will contribute to grow and further diversify GDF SUEZ LNG portfolio and is consistent with its leadership in the LNG sector. This new LNG supply source will reinforce the flexibility and the security of supply of GDF SUEZ’ natural gas portfolio. It will be a step further toward satisfying the LNG import requirements in our current markets, especially in Europe, and will also support the development of new international markets for GDF SUEZ”.

Sempra Energy operates two LNG regasification terminals in North America (Energia Costa Azul near Ensenada in Mexico and Cameron LNG in the US).

GDF SUEZ is one of the leading LNG players in the world and the main LNG importer in Europe. Its LNG portfolio of 16.5 MTPA, sourced from 6 countries, is the third largest in the world. It operates a fleet of 17 LNG carriers and has a significant presence in regasification terminals globally.