Sempra Energy announced its subsidiary, Port Arthur LNG, has requested that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) initiate the pre-filing review for the company's proposed Port Arthur LNG natural gas liquefaction and export facility in Port Arthur, Texas.

The proposed liquefaction project is designed to include: two natural gas liquefaction trains with a total export capability of approximately 10 million tons per annum, or 1.4 billion cubic feet per day; two 160,000-cubic-meter storage tanks; marine facilities for vessel berthing and loading; natural gas liquids and refrigerant storage; feed gas pre-treatment; truck loading and unloading areas; and combustion turbine generators for self-generation of electrical power.

On March 20, Port Arthur LNG also filed a permit application with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for authorization to export the LNG produced from the proposed project to all current and future Free Trade Agreement (FTA) countries and expects to submit to the DOE an application for authorization to export the LNG produced from Port Arthur LNG to non-FTA countries in the coming months.

"We have gained valuable experience working with the FERC during the permitting process for the Cameron LNG liquefaction project in Louisiana," said Octavio M. Simoes, president of Sempra LNG. "If we are successful, this project would provide long-term economic benefits and create new jobs in the region, while strengthening America's role as a global energy leader."

The proposed project would utilize a portion of Sempra's approximately 2,900 acres of property with 3 miles of waterfront on the Sabine-Neches Ship Channel and 1.25 miles of waterfront on the Intracoastal Waterway.

The company's Port Arthur LNG site previously was evaluated and certified by the FERC in 2006 for a proposed import regasification facility and pipeline and also was permitted by the Texas Department of Transportation for the potential relocation of a portion of State Highway 87.

Development of the Port Arthur LNG liquefaction project is contingent on completing the required commercial agreements, securing all necessary permits and approvals, obtaining financing and incentives, reaching a final investment decision and other factors associated with the investment.

Sempra U.S. Gas & Power, another subsidiary of Sempra Energy, is proposing to develop a natural gas pipeline project consisting of two separate 42-inch diameter pipeline segments that would interconnect with intra- and interstate pipelines to the north and south of the proposed Port Arthur LNG liquefaction project.

Sempra LNG successfully permitted Cameron LNG, which is now in construction. Port Arthur LNG is one of three liquefaction projects being developed by Sempra Energy. The other projects include the proposed expansion of Cameron LNG with trains No. 4 and No. 5 and liquefaction facilities at Energia Costa Azul in Baja California, Mexico.

About Sempra Energy

Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE), based in San Diego, is a Fortune 500 energy services holding company with 2014 revenues of $11 billion. The Sempra Energy companies' 17,000 employees serve more than 32 million consumers worldwide.

See the site of the Port Arthur LNG natural gas liquefaction and export facility