The completion of the project adds 0.4 billion ft3/d of nominal export capacity from a single train, tripling Mexico’s LNG export capacity. The facility is the first terminal in Mexico and the second in North America, following LNG Canada, to be located on the Pacific Coast, boosting North American export capacity there to 2.2 billion ft3/d. The Pacific Coast location allows for shorter shipping routes to importers in Asia.
LNG exports from this project are subject to regulatory approvals by the US Department of Energy (DOE) because the facility is supplied with natural gas sourced from the US. DOE has authorised 0.50 billion ft3/d of LNG exports from Energia Costa Azul Phase 1 to countries that have a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the US and 0.44 billion ft3/d of LNG exports to non-FTA countries.
Sempra has proposed a second phase of the project, which if constructed would add 1.6 billion ft3/d of nominal export capacity from two large-scale trains.