U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright on March 5 approved an export permit extension for the Golden Pass LNG terminal under construction in Sabine Pass, Texas. The approval will grant additional time to begin liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports from the terminal. 

In a press bulletin, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) said the move aims to meet the Trump administration’s commitment to establishing U.S. energy dominance and restoring “regular order” to LNG export reviews. 

Golden Pass, owned by QatarEnergy and ExxonMobil, is set to begin exporting later this year. Once operational, it will become the ninth large-scale export terminal operating in the United States, exporting up to 2.57 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas as LNG, according to the DOE news release.

The issuance to Golden Pass marks the third LNG-related approval from DOE since President Trump took office, following an export approval for Commonwealth LNG’s project based in Louisiana and an order removing barriers for the use of LNG as bunkering fuel. 

What People Are Saying

Chris Wright, secretary of Energy, DOE: “Exporting U.S. LNG supports American jobs, bolsters our national security and strengthens America’s position as a world energy leader. President Trump has pledged to restore energy dominance for the American people, and I am proud to help deliver on that agenda with today’s permit extension.”

Tala Goudarzi, acting principal deputy assistant secretary of the Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management: “Golden Pass was the first project approved for exports to non-free trade agreement countries by DOE during the first Trump Administration, and it is gratifying that this project is so close to being able to deliver its first LNG.”