NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA (Pietro D. Pitts, Energy Analytics Institute, 25.Feb.2025) — Located in Baja California, Energía Costa Azul (ECA) LNG Phase 1 continues to target the start-up of commercial operations in spring 2026, while construction at Port Arthur LNG (PALNG) Phase 1 remains on time and on budget, according to Sempra Infrastructure.
ECA Phase 1 is under construction and approximately 90% complete, Sempra Infrastructure said 25 Feb. 2025 in its year-end 2024 webcast presentation. Work is currently focused on pipe testing and insulation, electrical/instrumentation and pre-commissioning activities.
ECA Phase 1 will have a processing capacity of 3 million tonnes per annum (MTPA). ECA Phase 2, in development, would have a processing capacity of 12 MTPA.
Regarding ECA Phase 2, Sempra Infrastructure has signed a Heads of Agreement (HOA) with the US’ ConocoPhillips and memorandum of understandings (MOUs) with France’s TotalEnergies and Japan’s Mitsui.
The MOUs are non-binding arrangements that do not commit any party to enter into definitive contracts, which are subject to negotiation.
In 2024, Sempra Infrastructure reached commercial operations on both the Gasoducto Rosarito pipeline expansion and Topolobampo Terminal, the company also announced 25 Feb. 2025 in its year-end 2024 financial press release.
Also in Mexico, Sempra Infrastructure also has an eye on the 2-3 MTPA Vista Pacifico LNG project in Sinaloa. Here, Sempra Infrastructure has signed MOUs with Mexico’s Federal Electricity Commission (CFE) and TotalEnergies, which are also non-binding like the MOUs related to ECA Phase 2.
US LNG
In 2024, Sempra Infrastructure also made progress advancing 5 significant construction projects while further strengthening its ability to capitalize on growing demand for cleaner and more secure energy in global markets.
In the US, Cameron LNG Phase 1 continues to deliver superior production of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and loaded nearly 200 cargoes in 2024, Sempra Infrastructure said.
At PALNG Phase 2, the development project is receiving strong commercial interest.
Phase 2 is already anchored by a non-binding HOA for LNG offtake and a proposed equity investment with a subsidiary of Saudi Aramco, as well as a fixed-price engineering, procurement and construction contract with Bechtel Energy.
Sempra is targeting a final investment decision (FID) in 2025 for PALNG Phase 2, pending the execution of definitive commercial agreements, obtaining permits and securing financing, among other factors.
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By Pietro D. Pitts reporting from New Orleans. © 2025 Energy Analytics Institute (EAI). All Rights Reserved.
