DOE grants Argent LNG long-term LNG export approval

The U.S. Department of Energy has given Argent LNG permission to export about 25 million metric tons a year of LNG for 20 years from Port Fourchon, Louisiana. The approval clears a major federal hurdle for the planned $18 billion project as Argent LNG pushes toward construction in 2027 and first service in 2030.

Why it matters: - The DOE order gives Argent LNG a long-term federal export authorization tied to a proposed Gulf Coast terminal with global shipping access. - The approval covers roughly 25 MTPA of LNG, a scale that could make the project one of the largest proposed U.S. export facilities. - The decision strengthens Argent LNG’s regulatory path as the company works toward a final investment decision and construction.

What happened: - The U.S. Department of Energy’s Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Office issued DOE/HGEO Order No. 5447 on July 23, 2026. - The order authorizes Argent LNG to export domestically produced LNG by vessel from Port Fourchon in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana. - The authorization covers 1,293.75 Bcf per year of natural gas, equal to about 25 million metric tons per annum of LNG. - The export term runs for 20 years from the date of first commercial export. - The order also includes a three-year make-up period after the export term. - The authorization applies to countries with U.S. free trade agreements that require national treatment for natural gas trade, plus any country that later signs such an agreement with the U.S. - Authorized destinations named in the order include Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Chile, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Jordan, Mexico, Morocco, Nicaragua, Oman, Panama, Peru, South Korea, and Singapore. - Argent LNG is also authorized to export LNG on its own behalf and as agent for other entities holding title at the time of export.

The details: - The terminal is planned for an approximately 900-acre site at Port Fourchon under a long-term lease with the Port of Fourchon. - The lease has a 30-year primary term and options for two additional 30-year renewal periods. - The project is designed to include pre-treatment facilities, 12 modular liquefaction units using Baker Hughes’ NMBL™ technology, and two full-containment LNG storage tanks with 220,000-cubic-meter capacity each. - The facility also includes an approximately 350-megawatt simple-cycle gas turbine power generation plant. - Two LNG marine loading berths are planned for carriers ranging from 125,000 to 260,000 cubic meters. - Argent LNG expects construction to begin in December 2027. - First LNG service is anticipated in the first quarter of 2030. - Argent LNG has submitted 11 Resource Reports to FERC in its pre-filing environmental review process. - The reports cover project description, water use and quality, fish and wildlife, cultural resources, socioeconomic issues, geological resources, soils, land use, air and noise quality, alternatives, and visual resources. - The DOE FTA authorization follows a parallel non-FTA export application filed under Docket No. 26-28-LNG and published in the Federal Register on March 27, 2026. - The company says the project is being developed with a Louisiana First procurement strategy that prioritizes Louisiana companies, workers, and expertise. - Argent LNG says it awarded a marine, environmental, and site engineering contract to GIS Engineering LLC of Galliano, Louisiana. - The company says the project is valued at about $18 billion. - The project is anchored by a plan to use 12 modular Baker Hughes NMBL™ liquefaction trains and two deepwater-access marine loading berths.

Between the lines: - The DOE approval covers only free-trade-agreement destinations for now, while the non-FTA portion remains under review. - That split means Argent LNG still needs another federal decision before it can export broadly to non-FTA markets. - The timing suggests Argent LNG is pairing regulatory progress with commercial off-take building in Europe, Asia, and other markets. - Jonathan Bass, Argent LNG’s chairman and CEO, framed the order as a strategic alternative to Russian gas for allied nations. - The company also pointed to recent commercial and political momentum, including a memorandum of understanding with Naftogaz of Ukraine and other supply agreements. - Those agreements may help the project’s financing and customer base, but they do not replace the remaining federal steps.

What’s next: - Argent LNG still needs a separate DOE order covering exports to non-free-trade-agreement nations. - The company will continue the FERC pre-filing environmental review process. - Argent LNG expects to start construction in December 2027. - First LNG service is targeted for the first quarter of 2030. - The company will keep advancing commercial offtake discussions tied to its existing portfolio and recent Ukraine-related cooperation.

The bottom line: - DOE Order No. 5447 removes a major regulatory barrier for Argent LNG’s Port Fourchon project, but the company still has to clear additional federal review before the full export plan is complete.