Cameron LNG Facility and terminal in Hackberry | Source: Cameron LNG corporate website
The Cameron LNG facility is a bi-directional LNG terminal and natural gas liquefaction and export complex located on the west bank of the Calcasieu Ship Channel in Hackberry, Cameron Parish, southwestern Louisiana, approximately 18 miles north of the Gulf of Mexico. The facility sits on a 502-acre site, combining the footprint of the original import terminal with a 432-acre adjacent tract acquired specifically for the liquefaction expansion. It takes its name from Cameron Parish, known for its lakes, wildlife refuges, and coastal marshlands.
Origins
The site was originally developed as an LNG regasification and import terminal, with construction beginning in August 2005 and first commercial import operations commencing in July 2009. As U.S. domestic shale gas production transformed the country from the world's largest LNG importer to a major exporter, Cameron LNG proposed adding liquefaction capabilities in 2011, securing FERC approval for the export project and all DOE authorizations by 2014. The $10 billion liquefaction construction project broke ground in 2014 with Chiyoda Corporation as EPC contractor.
Liquefaction & Export Facilities
The Phase 1 liquefaction complex comprises:
- 3 liquefaction trains — each with a nameplate capacity of 4.5 mtpa, for a combined nameplate of 13.5 mtpa (approximately 14.95 mtpa DOE-authorized, or ~1.7 Bcf/d)
- Commercial operations: Train 1 — August 2019; Train 2 — March 2020; Train 3 — August 2020
- Safety record: Over 90 million construction hours worked with zero lost-time incidents
- Peak construction employment: ~10,000 on-site workers
Storage & Regasification Infrastructure
Retained from the original import terminal and integrated into the liquefaction facility:
- 4 full-containment LNG storage tanks — 3 original tanks plus 1 new tank built for the liquefaction project, combined storage capacity of 480,000 m³
- Regasification capability: 1.5 Bcf/d of vaporization capacity, maintaining the facility's bi-directional capability
- Pipeline connectivity: Connected to major interstate pipelines via the Cameron Interstate Pipeline
Marine Infrastructure
- 2 marine berths capable of accommodating Q-Flex sized LNG carriers (up to ~217,000 m³)
- Direct deep-water access on the Calcasieu Ship Channel, one of the most active LNG export corridors on the Gulf Coast
Phase 2 Expansion
In January 2022, Cameron LNG filed a revised FERC permit application proposing to add a single Train 4 with a production capacity of 6.75 mtpa — replacing the previously authorized two-train expansion (~4.98 mtpa each) with a single larger train for improved economies of scale. All four JV partners signed a Heads of Agreement in April 2022 to advance the expansion. The expansion is currently in the pre-FID development phase.
Environmental Stewardship
Cameron LNG has donated more than $2.5 million to the surrounding region since 2003, with contributions to health, safety, education, and economic development programs. Over 500 acres of tidal marsh and emergent wetlands have been created in the area through constructive use of dredge spoil material, with an estimated 13,000 acres of viable wetlands expected to be created over the life of the plant from periodic maintenance dredging.
