By Cassandra Sweet
Sempra Energy (SRE) expects to get federal permission to build
facilities to export natural gas in Louisiana, and the company will
be ready to start construction in early 2014, the company's top
executive said Tuesday.
Sempra plans to modify its existing natural-gas import terminal
in Louisiana to be able to convert gas produced in the U.S. into
liquid form to be exported overseas.
The company applied in December with the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission for approval of the project, and it expects
to obtain the agency's approval by the end of this year, said
Sempra Chairman and Chief Executive Debra Reed.
The gas-export terminal is designed to export up to 12 million
tons of natural gas a year and is estimated to cost between $6
billion and $7 billion, Ms. Reed said.
Sempra plans to select a contractor to build the project and be
ready to start construction in early 2014, Ms. Reed said.
The company plans to complete construction and start operating
the terminal in late 2017, Ms. Reed said.
Write to Cassandra Sweet at cassandra.sweet@dowjones.com
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