$8.5 billion natural gas liquefaction facility coming to Plaquemines Parish

PLAQUEMINES PARISH, La. (WAFB) - The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has now authorized the building of the Venture Global Plaquemines LNG Facility, Governor John Bel Edwards announced Monday, Sept. 30.

The governor’s office says Venture Global plans to invest $8.5 billion to build a natural gas liquefaction facility and LNG export terminal along the Mississippi River in Plaquemines Parish. The plant will be the second LNG facility in Louisiana.

Click here for more information about the project, which is expected to be completed sometime in late 2023.

FERC has also approved the affiliated Gator Express natural gas pipeline system, which will bring natural gas from existing pipelines to the new facility in Plaquemines Parish.

“Venture Global has become an important participant in Louisiana’s growing LNG market. With multi-billion-dollar investments on both the eastern and western edges of coastal Louisiana, Venture Global is well-poised for success as the natural gas industry continues to expand here. The LNG industry is an ongoing success story for the Louisiana economy, generating tremendous investments and providing quality, permanent jobs for our skilled Louisiana workforce,” said Edwards.

The governor’s office says the new facility will create 250 new direct jobs with an average annual salary of $70,000, plus benefits. Louisiana Economic Development (LED) says the project should result in another 728 indirect jobs, for a total of nearly 1,000 new jobs for the parish/region. The project is also anticipated to create about 2,200 construction jobs.

The facility will be built on a 630-acre site on the west bank of the Mississippi near mile marker 55, downriver from Myrtle Grove. The site will have about 1.3 miles of river frontage.

“The Mississippi River provides significant benefits for building a liquefaction facility. For example, with deep-water access the project will not require dredging, which allows for an expedited, environmentally-friendly development process.”

FERC also previously approved Venture Global’s $5 billion natural gas liquefaction and export facility at Calcasieu Pass in Cameron Parish. Construction there has been underway since February.

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