Project Profile
Value: US$3.8 billion
Location: Existing Dominion Cove Point LNG Terminal, Chesapeake Bay in Lusby, Maryland, south of Baltimore, USA
Processing capacity: 800 mmcf (22.65 mcm) per day of inlet feed gas
Production capacity: ~ 5.25 million metric tons of LNG per year
Start-up Year: late 2017
Dominion is proposing to construct liquefaction facilities for exporting liquefied natural gas (LNG), at its existing Dominion Cove Point LNG Terminal located on the Chesapeake Bay in Lusby, Maryland, south of Baltimore in USA. The proposed liquefaction facilities, combined with existing facilities, will provide a bi-directional service of import and export of LNG at the Dominion Cove Point LNG Terminal. All of the liquefaction facilities will be installed within the fence of the current facility on Dominion property. The proposed facility would be designed to process an average of 750 million standard cubic feet per day of inlet feed gas. Natural gas-fired turbines at the proposed facility will drive the main refrigerant compressors. The facility also will generate additional power on site to meet the power demands of the liquefaction plant.
The liquefaction facilities will connect with the existing facility and share common facilities such as the LNG tanks, pumps, piping and pier in order to support both functions—importing and exporting LNG. Additional compression on the Dominion Cove Point pipeline would be required to deliver the inlet gas to the Terminal. Dominion proposes to install additional compression, totaling 29,000 to 34,000 horsepower, at its existing Loudoun Compressor Station in Loudoun County, Va., and/or Pleasant Valley Compressor Station in Fairfax County, Va. The Cove Point LNG export project is estimated to cost between US$3.4 billion and US$3.8 billion. Dominion has fully subscribed the marketed capacity of the project with 20-year service agreements with ST Cove Point, a joint venture of Sumitomo Corporation, Tokyo Gas and Gail Global (USA) LNG. The process for the project will generally be as follows:
- June 2012 — Begin FERC Pre-filing Process
- April 2013 — File FERC Sections 3 and 7 Application
If the Commission Grants Approval:
- February 2014 — Receive FERC Order Issuing Certificate and Granting Section 3 Authority
- March 2014 — Begin Construction
- March 2017 — Project In-Service
Operators:
Dominion Cove Point LNG: Operator with 100% interest
Contractors:
Audubon Engineering: Engineer for the proposed Dominion Cove Point liquefied natural gas (LNG) construction project
GE Oil & Gas: Supply gas compression trains
IHI/Kiewit Joint Venture for EPC contract
IHI
Kiewit