Commonwealth LNG granted 20-year export authorization

US LNG developer Commonwealth LNG has been given approval for a 20-year export license for non-free trade agreement countries from the Department of Energy, Reuters reported on January 9.

Additionally, the proposed Louisiana-based facility was granted approval for exports to free-trade agreement countries for a 25-year period. The authorization periods will commence as soon as the export terminal located in Cameron Parish begins shipping cargoes commercially or seven years from the date the permission was granted.

The facility initially was granted authorization for export to non-free trade agreement countries in September 2025, however the term of the license was not announced at that time.

Commonwealth LNG will boast a production capacity of 9.5mn tonnes per year (tpy). A final investment decision (FID) has yet to be taken on the plant. The company anticipates generating an estimated $3.5bn in annual export revenue once the terminal is up and running.

A target of taking FID before the end of 2025 had been set but was not reached, with the firm now seeking to take FID before the end of the first quarter of 2026.

In autumn, the company was targeting 2028 for first production but is now seeking to ship its first cargo in 2029. An extension has already been received for the project after it became apparent that its initial deadline of November 2027 would not be possible following the pause on LNG export approvals announced by former President Joe Biden in January 2024.

Authorization from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) to proceed with construction of the plant was granted in June 2025.

Commonwealth LNG has already secured supply agreements with a handful of firms including Glencore, Japan’s JERA, EQT, Malaysia’s Petronas, and Australian energy giant Woodside.

Commonwealth LNG’s major shareholder is alternative asset manager Kimmeridge. The facility will draw heavily on Eagle Ford Shale for its feedgas.