By Rita Shirley LeBleu

Cheniere Energy Partners signed a contract with Bechtel Corp last week. Bechtel will engineer, procure and construct the first phase of its Sabine Pass LNG project. The terminal has natural gas liquefaction facilities with a total production of over 30 million tonnes per annum of LNG operation.

Cheniere will add 6 million mtpa. The contract is valued at $4.69 billion.

The company expects to reach final investment decision on the first phase by early 2027. Cheniere has to issue the full notice to proceed to Bechtel on or before May 21, 2028 or either party may terminate the contract.

Cheniere was the first to build and ship LNG from Louisiana in 2016. More than 3,000 ships have left the Sabine Pass plant since that first shipment.