The Office of Fossil Energy (FE) of the Department of Energy (DOE) gives notice of receipt of an application (Application), filed on August 17, 2017, by Fourchon LNG LLC (Fourchon LNG), seeking a long-term multi-contract authorization to export domestically produced liquefied natural gas (LNG) up to the equivalent of 260 billion cubic feet of natural gas per year for 30 years to any country with which the United States has, or in the future may enter into, a free trade agreement (“FTA’) requiring national treatment for trade in natural gas, and for 20 years to any country with which the United States does not have a FTA requiring national treatment for trade in natural gas which currently has or in the future develops the capacity to import LNG and with which trade is not prohibited by United States law or policy. The applicant seeks an authorization commencing on the earlier of the date of first export or seven years from the date the authorization is issued. The quantities of the FTA authorization and non-FTA authorization will not be additive. Fourchon LNG proposes to export LNG from its proposed LNG terminal site to be located in on Belle Pass in Port Fourchon, Louisiana.

DOE will consider one or more of the following studies examining the cumulative impacts of exporting domestically produced LNG:

• Effect of Increased Levels of Liquefied Natural Gas on U.S. Energy Markets, conducted by the U.S. Energy Information Administration upon DOE’s request (2014 EIA LNG Export Study);
• The Macroeconomic Impact of Increasing U.S. LNG Exports, conducted jointly by the Center for Energy Studies at Rice University’s Baker Institute for Public Policy and Oxford Economics, on behalf of DOE (2015 LNG Export Study); and
• Macroeconomic Outcomes of Market Determined Levels of U.S. LNG Exports, conducted by NERA Economic Consulting on behalf of DOE (2018 LNG Export Study)

Additionally, DOE will consider the following environmental documents: 

• Addendum to Environmental Review Documents Concerning Exports of Natural Gas From the United States, 79 FR 48132 (Aug. 15, 2014) and
• Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Perspective on Exporting Liquefied Natural Gas from the United States, 79 FR 32260 (June 4, 2014).