Sempra Energy Sets 2025 Launch for Mexico's ECA LNG Project

Sempra Energy is targeting the summer of 2025 for the commencement of commercial operations of its Energía Costa Azul (ECA) LNG project Phase 1 in Ensenada, Baja California, marking a significant milestone in North American energy cooperation and global LNG market dynamics.

The ECA LNG Phase 1 project, announced in Sempra's 4Q23 earnings release, signifies a strategic infrastructure development leveraging the synergies between the United States and Mexico. Sempra Infrastructure, a Houston-based affiliate, holds a 100% ownership interest in the GRO pipeline, ensuring gas delivery for the project, scheduled for completion in the second half of 2024.

Sempra Infrastructure's plans for the ECA LNG project include a 3.25MMt/y train, with an initial offtake capacity of 2.5MMt/y, supported by a 0.5Bcf/d delivery capacity through the GRO pipeline. Sempra Infrastructure maintains an 83.4% working interest in the project, with TotalEnergies of France holding the remaining 16.6% stake.

Looking ahead, Sempra Infrastructure envisions a second phase of the ECA LNG project to expand export capacity to 12MMtpa. Preliminary agreements with ConocoPhillips, TotalEnergies, and Mitsui signify the project's international collaboration and future growth potential.

The strategic positioning of the ECA LNG project, coupled with US gas supplies, reinforces the energy partnership between the United States and Mexico, and emphasizes LNG's role in the global energy mix. The project's completion timeline, aligned with the GRO pipeline expansion, enhances North American LNG export capabilities, influencing global energy dynamics and trade relations.