Lake Charles Exports, LLC (“LCE”), a jointly-owned subsidiary of BG Group plc (“BG Group”) and Southern Union Company (“SUG”), a joint venture owned by Energy Transfer Equity, L.P. (NYSE: ETE) and Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. (NYSE: ETP) (collectively, “Energy Transfer”), has received an order from the Department of Energy conditionally granting authorization to export liquefied natural gas to non-free trade agreement nations from the existing LNG import terminal owned by Trunkline LNG Company, LLC (a wholly-owned subsidiary of Energy Transfer) which is located in Lake Charles, Louisiana. LCE previously received approval to export LNG from the facility to FTA countries on July 22, 2011.

Energy Transfer and BG Group, through their respective subsidiaries Trunkline LNG Export, LLC, Trunkline LNG Company, LLC and BG LNG Services, LLC, have agreed on preliminary terms to jointly develop an LNG liquefaction project at the facility.

The potential project will entail the construction of three liquefaction trains with a total capacity of 15 million metric tonnes of LNG per annum and utilize the existing LNG storage and marine berthing facilities.

BG Group will have exclusive rights to the full export capacity (with renewal rights) on a tolling basis and oversee the design and construction management of the potential project. Additionally, BG Group will continue to retain contractual rights for import capacity of the facility throughout the term of the potential project.

Further, to facilitate BG Group’s sourcing of natural gas for the potential project, Trunkline Gas Company, LLC (also a wholly-owned subsidiary of Energy Transfer) will provide BG Group with pipeline transportation for the potential project’s upstream natural gas requirements.

The Front End Engineering & Design Study for the potential project has been awarded. SUG has been participating in the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s mandatory pre-filing process and expects to file a formal application for Section 3 authorization under the Natural Gas Act in or before the first quarter of 2014.

Pending final investment decisions from both Energy Transfer and BG Group, Energy Transfer will complete financing for the potential project and begin construction in mid-2015, with an anticipated project in-service date in mid-2019.

About Energy Transfer Partners
Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. (NYSE: ETP) is a master limited partnership owning and operating one of the largest and most diversified portfolios of energy assets in the United States. ETP currently has natural gas operations that include approximately 47,000 miles of gathering and transportation pipelines, treating and processing assets, and storage facilities. ETP owns 100% of ETP Holdco Corporation, which owns Southern Union Company and Sunoco, Inc., and a 70% interest in Lone Star NGL LLC, a joint venture that owns and operates natural gas liquids storage, fractionation and transportation assets. ETP also owns the general partner, 100% of the incentive distribution rights, and approximately 33.5 million common units in Sunoco Logistics Partners L.P. (NYSE: SXL), which operates a geographically diverse portfolio of crude oil and refined products pipelines, terminalling and crude oil acquisition and marketing assets. ETP’s general partner is owned by ETE. For more information, visit the Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. website at www.energytransfer.com.

About Energy Transfer Equity
Energy Transfer Equity, L.P. (NYSE: ETE) is a master limited partnership which owns the general partner and 100% of the incentive distribution rights (IDRs) of Energy Transfer Partners, L.P. (NYSE: ETP) and approximately 99.7 million ETP common units; and owns the general partner and 100% of the IDRs of Regency Energy Partners LP (NYSE: RGP) and approximately 26.3 million RGP common units. The Energy Transfer family of companies owns more than 71,000 miles of natural gas, natural gas liquids, refined products, and crude pipelines. For more information, visit the Energy Transfer Equity, L.P. website at www.energytransfer.com.

About BG Group plc
BG Group plc (LSE: BG.L) is a world leader in natural gas, with a broad portfolio of business interests focused on exploration and production and liquefied natural gas. Active in more than 20 countries on five continents, BG Group combines a deep understanding of gas markets with a proven track record in finding and commercialising reserves.

Voir le site du terminal LNG de liquéfaction de Lake Charles