European firms oppose LNG permit extension

Top European energy companies have asked US regulators to reject Venture Global LNG’s request for a one-year construction permit extension to its Louisiana export plant.

Shell, Italian utility Edison, Repsol, Orlen, and Galp Energia on Friday opposed the request because they believe Venture Global LNG has completed its plant but has failed to give them contracted cargoes.

Venture Global last month asked for a one-year extension to a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) permit to complete its Calcasieu Pass plant, or to receive assurances it did not need an extension.

“Shell LNG respectfully requests that the Commission find the extension request, in its conditional form, to be moot and summarily deny it,” the company said.

Edison asked the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to compel Venture Global to release commissioning documents to justify the extension request.

Repsol and Galp told federal regulators they cannot participate fully in the 15-day intervention period because of their lack of access to commissioning documents.

The European companies say they contracted with Venture Global LNG but have not got their gas cargoes under long-term contracts. Venture Global LNG has been selling gas from the plant for more than a year to others, costing them billions in lost profit.

Venture Global LNG on Friday asked the regulatory commission to “reject the myriad claims of BP, Shell and Orlen.”