Overview:
Under DOE’s regulations, applications to import or export natural gas, including liquefied natural gas (LNG), into or from the United States must identify “all the participants in the transaction, including the parent company, if any, and identification of any corporate or other affiliations among the participants.” 10 C.F.R. § 590.202(b)(3). Either before or after DOE issues a final authorization, however, the ownership or management of the entity may change hands, resulting in a change in control (CIC).
Please see DOE’s Procedures for Changes in Control Affecting Applications and Authorizations To Import or Export Natural Gas, 79 Fed. Reg. 65,541 (Nov. 5, 2014) (Procedures), for the regulations and procedures that apply depending on whether an applicant or an authorization holder undergoes a change in control.
As set forth in the Procedures, DOE construes a change in control to mean a change, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct the management or policies of an entity whether such power is exercised through one or more intermediary companies or pursuant to an agreement, written or oral, and whether such power is established through ownership or voting of securities, or common directors, officers, or stockholders, or voting trusts, holding trusts, or debt holdings, or contract, or any other direct or indirect means. A rebuttable presumption that control exists will arise from the ownership or the power to vote, directly or indirectly, 10% or more of the voting securities of such entity. See id. at 65,542.
In 2019, DOE further explained that the Procedures pertain to “external transfers or assignments, not purely internal corporate reorganizations”—such as those involving a “reshuffling of wholly-owned subsidiaries within the same parent organization.” See DOE’s Response to Port Arthur LNG’s Notice of Internal Corporate Reorganization, Docket Nos. 15-53-LNG, 18-162-LNG, and 15-96-LNG (Apr. 11, 2019).
For questions pertaining to DOE’s change in control procedures, please contact the Division of Natural Gas Regulation at FERGAS@hq.doe.gov.
Service Requirement:
Any applicant or authorization holder submitting a change in control filing to DOE’s Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management (FECM) must comply with DOE’s service requirements, set forth in 10 C.F.R. § 590.107. This includes serving a copy of the filing on all parties on the official service list for the applicable docket(s).
CIC Proceedings:
Applications submitted to FECM requesting a change in control, and FECM’s responses to date, are listed below in chronological order.
|
DOCKET NO. |
AUTHORIZATION HOLDER |
DATE SUBMITTED |
DOE RESPONSE |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. |
14-001-CIC, 11-145-LNG, 11-162-LNG |
Cameron LNG, LLC |
Order 3452 - Approving Change In Control of Export Authorizations |
|
2. |
14-003-CIC, 12-174-LNG |
Pangea LNG (North America) Holdings, LLC |
||
3. |
14-004-CIC; 13-140-LNG |
Annova LNG Common Infrastructure, LLC |
Order 3464 Approving Change in Control to Annova LNG Common Infrastructure, LLC (FTANs) |
|
4. |
14-005-CIC; 10-160-LNG; 10-161-LNG, 11-161-LNG and 12-06-LNG |
Freeport LNG Expansion, L.P., FLNG Liquefaction, LLC, FLNG Liquefaction 2, LLC and FLNG Liquefaction 3, LLC |
||
5. |
|
Venture Global Calcasieu Pass, LLC (formerly Venture Global LNG, LLC) |
Notice of Corporate Reorganization or Change in Control and Amendment for Pending Applications to Export LNG to Free Trade Agreement Countries |
|
6. |
14-19-LNG and 14-29-LNG |
Louisiana LNG Energy, LLC (acquisition by Parallax Enterprises (NOLA) LLC) |
Notice of Corporate Reorganization or Change in Control and Amendment of Authorization to Export Liquefied Natural Gas to Free Trade Agreement Countries. |
|
7. |
14-179-LNG |
Pieridae Energy (USA) Ltd. |
Response to Erik J.A. Swenson Granting Pieridae's CIC Request of December 18, 2015 |
|
8. |
12-152-LNG and 13-153-LNG |
Commonwealth LNG, LLC (formerly Waller LNG Services, LLC (d/b/a Waller Point LNG) |
||
9. |
10-85-LNG; 10-111-LNG; 12-97-LNG; 12-99-LNG; 13-30-LNG; 13-42-LNG; 13-121-LNG; 14-31-LNG; 14-92-LNG; 14-186-NG; 15-63-LNG; 15-97-LNG and 15-171-LNG |
Corpus Christi Liquefaction, LLC, Cheniere Marketing, LLC, and Sabine Pass Liquefaction, LLC |
Letter Regarding Change in Control |
|
10. |
11-59-LNG; 03-76-LNG; 04-39-LNG; 05-114-LNG, 06-03-LNG; 06-04-LNG; 06-086-LNG and 08--64-LNG |
Lake Charles Exports, LLC and BG LNG Services, LLC |
Response and Acceptance to Statement of Change in Control Notification of 2/17/16 |
|
11. |
15-62-LNG |
Texas LNG Brownsville LLC |
||
12. |
14-005-CIC; 10-160-LNG; 10-161-LNG, 11-161-LNG and 12-06-LNG |
Freeport LNG Expansion, L.P., FLNG Liquefaction, LLC, FLNG Liquefaction 2, LLC and FLNG Liquefaction 3, LLC |
Letter Approving the Change in Control as to Previously Issued NFTA LNG Export Authorizations. |
|
13. |
13-26-LNG |
Main Pass LMC AS (MPEH LLC) (formerly Freeport-McMoRan LLC) |
||
14. |
14-63-CNG |
Pentagon Energy, L.L.C. (formerly Wentworth Gas Marketing LLC) |
||
15. |
16-144-LNG |
Driftwood LNG LLC |
||
16. |
14-179-LNG |
Pieridae Energy (USA) Ltd. |
||
17. |
12-183-LNG; 13-131-LNG; 13-132-LNG |
Magnolia LNG, LLC |
Letter in Response to 07/20/17 Amending Description of Equity Commitment |
|
18. |
15-190-LNG |
Rio Grande LNG, LLC |
Response to CIC Request for Change in Ownership and Notice of Amendment |
|
19. |
10-85-LNG; 10-111-LNG; 13-30-LNG; 13-42-LNG; 13-121-LNG; 14-92-LNG; 15-63-LNG; 16-197-LNG and 17-161-LNG |
Sabine Pass Liquefaction, LLC |
|
|
20. |
14-209-LNG and 15-19-LNG |
American LNG Marketing, LLC |
Response to Change in Control Request Submitted January 9, 2018 |
|
21. |
11-127-LNG and 12-32-LNG |
Jordan Cove Energy Project L.P. |
||
22. |
11-145-LNG; 11-162-LNG; 14-204-LNG; 15-36-LNG; 15-67-LNG; 15-90-LNG |
Cameron LNG, LLC |
Letter in Response to March 23, 2018 Notifying the Department to the CIC on behalf of Cameron LNG, LLC |
|
23. |
15-53-LNG and 15-96-LNG |
Port Arthur LNG, LLC |
|
|
24. |
11-145-LNG; 11-162-LNG; 14-204-LNG; 15-36-LNG; 15-67-LNG; 15-90-LNG; 16-34-LNG |
Cameron LNG, LLC |
|
|
25. |
13-129-LNG and 13-147-LNG |
Delfin LNG, LLC. |
Response to Request for Change in Control |
|
26. |
14-179-LNG |
Pieridae Energy (USA) Ltd. |
||
27. |
13-140-LNG; 19-34-LNG |
Annova LNG Common Infrastructure, LLC |
||
28. |
15-53-LNG, 18-162-LNG, and 15-96-LNG |
Port Arthur LNG, LLC |
Letter Responding to CIC Notification submitted by Port Arthur to the Department |
|
29. |
15-62-LNG |
Texas LNG Brownsville LLC |
||
30. |
13-140-LNG; 19-34-LNG |
Annova LNG Common Infrastructure, LLC |
Letter to Brian Wright in Response to Change in Ownership Filed 4/26/19 |
|
31. |
12-88-LNG and 12-156-LNG |
Golden Pass LNG Terminal LLC (formerly Golden Pass Products LLC) |
Order Granting Request to Transfer Authorizations and Responding to Statement of Change in Control |
|
32. |
18-144-LNG |
ECA Liquefaction, S. de R.L. de C.V. (formerly Energia Costa Azul, S. de R.L. de C.V.) |
||
33. |
13-69-LNG; 14-88-LNG; 15-25-LNG |
Venture Global Calcasieu Pass, LLC |
Notification Regarding Equity Ownership Change in Accordance with Procedures for Change in Control |
|
34. |
11-115-LNG, 11-128-LNG, 18-180-LNG, 19-156-LNG |
Dominion Energy Cove Point LNG, LP |
||
35. |
14-179-LNG |
Pieridae Energy (USA) Ltd. |
||
36. |
18-70-LNG |
Mexico Pacific Limited LLC |
||
37. |
12-183-LNG, 13-131-LNG, 13-132-LNG |
Magnolia LNG, LLC |
||
38. |
14-96-LNG |
Alaska LNG Project LLC |
||
39. |
11-115-LNG, 11-128-LNG, 18-180-LNG, 19-156-LNG |
Dominion Energy Cove Point LNG, LP |
||
40. |
10-85-LNG, 10-111-LNG, 13-30-LNG, 13-42-LNG, 13-121-LNG, 14-92-LNG, 15-63-LNG, 19-125-LNG, 19-133-LNG, 20-28-LNG and 20-114-LNG |
Sabine Pass Liquefaction, LLC |
Response to Notification Regarding Change in Indirect Equity Ownership |
|
41. |
18-144-LNG |
ECA Liquefaction, S. de R.L. de C.V. |
||
42. |
11-145-LNG. 14-204-LNG, 15-36-LNG, 11-162-LNG, 15-67-LNG, 15-90-LNG, 19-62-LNG, 19-45-NG, 18-144-LNG, 18-145-LNG, 15-53-LNG, 15-96-LNG, 18-162-LNG, 20-23-LNG, 20-43-NG, 19-65-LNG, 20-52-LNG, 20-145-NG, & 20-153-LNG |
Cameron LNG, LLC, et al. |
||
43. |
18-70-LNG |
Mexico Pacific Limited LLC |
||
44. | 10-160-LNG, 10-161-LNG, 11-161-LNG, 12-06-LNG, 16-108-LNG, 18-26-LNG, 21-98-LNG |
Freeport LNG Development, L.P. |
01/13/2022 01/27/2022 03/03/2022 |
Order Approving Change in Control |
45. | 11-145-LNG, 11-162-LNG, 14-204-LNG, 15-36-LNG, 15-67-LNG, 15-90-LNG, 21-50-NG, 18-144-LNG, 18-145-LNG, 15-53-LNG, 15-96-LNG, 18-162-LNG, 20-23-LNG, 20-43-NG, 21-83-NG, 20-52-LNG, 20-145-NG, 20-153-LNG | Cameron LNG, LLC, et al. | 02/22/2022 | Order 4815 Approving Change in Control |
46. | 18-78-LNG | Corpus Christi Liquefaction Stage III, LLC | 03/28/2022 |
Response to the Notice of Corporate Reorganization and Request for Transfer |
47. | 20-73-CNG | Andalusian Energy, LLC | 04/01/2022 | Response to Statement and Notice of Change in Control |
48. | 11-59-LNG, 16-110-LNG | Lake Charles Exports, LLC | 05/17/2022 | Response to Notice of Change in Control |
49. | 15-53-LNG, 15-96-LNG, 18-162-LNG | Port Arthur LNG, LLC | 12/21/2022 | Response to Notice of Change in Control |
50. | 21-53-NG, 21-59-NG, 21-73-NG | Hudson Energy Services, LLC; Just Energy New York Corp.; Just Energy Ontario, L.P. | 01/13/2023 | Response to Notice of Change in Control |
51. | 15-53-LNG, 15-96-LNG, 18-162-LNG | Port Arthur LNG, LLC | 04/25/2023 | |
52. | 11-115-LNG, 11-128-LNG, 22-22-LNG, 22-155-LNG | Cove Point LNG, LP | 07/11/2023 | |
53. | 15-190-LNG | Rio Grande LNG, LLC | 08/16/2023 |