Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 147 / Thursday, July 31, 2014 / Notices 44439 

1The United States currently has FTAs requiring 

national treatment for trade in natural gas with 

Australia, Bahrain, Canada, Chile, Colombia, 

Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, 

Honduras, Jordan, Mexico, Morocco, Nicaragua, 

Oman, Panama, Peru, Republic of Korea, and 

Singapore. FTAs with Israel and Costa Rica do not 

require national treatment for trade in natural gas. 

2 Gasfin Development USA, LLC, DOE/FE Order. 

No. 3253, Docket No. 13–06–LNG, Order Granting 

Long-Term Multi-Contract Authorization to Export 

Liquefied Natural Gas by Vessel from the Proposed 

Gasfin LNG Export Project in Cameron Parish, 

Louisiana, to Free Trade Agreement Nations (March 

7, 2013). 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

[FE Docket No. 13–161–LNG] 

Gasfin Development USA, LLC; 

Application for Long-Term 

Authorization To Export Liquefied 

Natural Gas Produced From Domestic 

Natural Gas Resources to Non-Free 

Trade Agreement Countries for a 20- 

Year Period 

AGENCY: Office of Fossil Energy, DOE. 

ACTION: Notice of application. 

SUMMARY: The Office of Fossil Energy 

(FE) of the Department of Energy (DOE) 

gives notice of receipt of an application 

(Application) filed on December 24, 

2013, by Gasfin Development USA, LLC 

(Gasfin), requesting long-term, multicontract authorization to export 

liquefied natural gas (LNG) produced 

from domestic sources in a volume 

equivalent to approximately 74 billion 

cubic feet per year (Bcf/yr) of natural 

gas, or 0.2 Bcf per day (Bcf/d). Gasfin 

seeks authorization to export the LNG 

by vessel from the proposed Gasfin LNG 

Export Project, a mid-scale natural gas 

liquefaction and LNG export terminal to 

be located along the Calcasieu River in 

Cameron Parish, Louisiana (the Project), 

for a 20-year term commencing on the 

earlier of the date of first export or eight 

years from the date the authorization is 

granted. Gasfin requests authorization to 

export the LNG by vessel to any country 

with which the United States does not 

have a free trade agreement (FTA) 

requiring national treatment for trade in 

natural gas (non-FTA countries), and 

with which trade is not prohibited by 

U.S. law or policy. Gasfin requests this 

authorization on its own behalf and as 

agent for other parties who hold title to 

the LNG at the time of export. The 

Application was filed under section 3(a) 

of the Natural Gas Act (NGA). 

DATES: Protests, motions to intervene or 

notices of intervention, as applicable, 

requests for additional procedures, and 

written comments are to be filed using 

procedures detailed in the Public 

Comment Procedures section no later 

than 4:30 p.m., Eastern time, September 

29, 2014. 

ADDRESSES: Electronic Filing by email: 

fergas@hq.doe.gov. 

Regular Mail 

U.S. Department of Energy (FE–34), 

Office of Oil and Gas Global Security 

and Supply, Office of Fossil Energy, 

P.O. Box 44375, Washington, DC 20026– 

4375. 

Hand Delivery or Private Delivery 

Services (e.g., FedEx, UPS, etc.) 

U.S. Department of Energy (FE–34), 

Office of Oil and Gas Global Security 

and Supply, Office of Fossil Energy, 

Forrestal Building, Room 3E–042, 1000 

Independence Avenue SW., 

Washington, DC 20585. 

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: 

Larine Moore or Lisa Tracy, U.S. 

Department of Energy (FE–34), Office 

of Oil and Gas Global Security and 

Supply, Office of Fossil Energy, 

Forrestal Building, Room 3E–042, 

1000 Independence Avenue SW., 

Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586– 

9478; (202) 586–4523. 

Cassandra Bernstein, U.S. Department of 

Energy, Office of the Assistant 

General Counsel for Electricity and 

Fossil Energy, Forrestal Building, 

1000 Independence Avenue SW., 

Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586– 

9793. 

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

Background 

Applicant. Gasfin states that it is a 

Delaware limited liability company with 

its principal place of business in 

Strassen, Luxembourg. Gasfin is a 

wholly owned subsidiary of Gasfin 

Development S.A. (Gasfin 

Development), a Luxembourg company 

that develops, owns and manages midscale LNG infrastructure. 

According to Gasfin, Gasfin 

Development is management controlled 

by Roland Fisher (CEO) and Vladimir 

Puklavec (Chairman). Gasfin 

Development’s affiliated operating 

group companies are TGE Gas 

Engineering GmbH (TGE Gas) and TGE 

Marine Gas Engineering GmbH (TGE 

Marine)—both limited companies set up 

in Bonn, Germany. Gasfin Development 

management holds 40 percent of the 

share capital of TGE Gas and TGE 

Marine. China International Marine 

Containers (Group) Co., Ltd., a publicly 

traded Chinese manufacturing group 

listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange, 

is a 60 percent shareholder of TGE Gas. 

Caledonia Investments plc, a publicly 

traded UK Investment Trust listed on 

the London Stock Exchange, is a 60 

percent shareholder of TGE Marine. 

Procedural History. On March 7, 

2013, DOE/FE issued Order No. 3253, in 

which it authorized Gasfin to export 

LNG produced from domestic sources to 

FTA countries (i.e., countries with 

which the United States currently has, 

or in the future will have, a free trade 

agreement requiring national treatment 

for trade in natural gas) 1 in a volume 

equivalent to approximately 74 Bcf/yr of 

natural gas (0.2 Bcf/d), or 1.5 million 

metric tons per annum (mtpa) of LNG.2

This is the same volume of LNG 

requested for exported to non-FTA 

countries in the current Application. 

Liquefaction Project. Gasfin seeks 

long-term authorization to export 

domestically produced LNG from the 

Gasfin LNG Export Project, which 

Gasfin proposes to construct, own, and 

operate. Gasfin states that the Project 

will be located on a 65-acre site along 

the Calcasieu River in Cameron Parish, 

Louisiana. Gasfin states that 

construction of the Project will occur in 

three phases, with each phase capable of 

producing 0.5 mtpa of LNG 

(approximately 67.5 million standard 

cubic feet per day of natural gas) for a 

total of 1.5 mtpa. Gasfin anticipates that 

the Project will have LNG storage 

capacity ranging from 80,000 cubic 

meters (m3) to 200,000 m3, to be 

completed as single or multiple tanks 

depending on Project phasing. 

Gasfin states that it will construct a 

single berth to accommodate mid-scale 

LNG carriers ranging in size from 10,000 

m3 to 174,000 m3. The Project also will 

include a pipeline (approximately 3 to 

11 miles long) to link the Project to the 

existing gas pipeline network, as well as 

common facilities including control and 

administration buildings, utilities, and a 

flare. 

Current Application 

Gasfin requests long-term, multicontract authorization to export LNG in 

a volume equivalent to approximately 

74 Bcf/yr of domestic natural gas (0.2 

Bcf/d) by vessel from the proposed 

Gasfin LNG Export Project to any nonFTA country which has developed or in 

the future develops the capacity to 

import LNG, and with which trade is 

not prohibited by U.S. law or policy. 

Gasfin requests this authorization for a 

20-year term commencing on the earlier 

of the date of first export or eight years 

from the date the requested 

authorization is granted. 

Gasfin seeks to export the requested 

LNG on its own behalf and as agent for 


wreier-aviles on DSK5TPTVN1PROD with NOTICES
44440 Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 147 / Thursday, July 31, 2014 / Notices 

third parties who hold title to the LNG 

at the time of export. Gasfin states that 

it will comply with all DOE/FE 

requirements for exporters and agents as 

set forth in recent DOE/FE orders, 

including registering each LNG title 

holder for whom Gasfin seeks to export 

as agent. Gasfin states that this 

registration will include a written 

statement by the title holder 

acknowledging and agreeing to comply 

with all applicable requirements 

included by DOE/FE in Gasfin’s export 

authorization. Gasfin further states that 

it will include those requirements in 

any subsequent purchase or sale 

agreement entered into by that title 

holder. In addition, Gasfin states that it 

will file under seal with DOE/FE any 

relevant long-term commercial 

agreements between Gasfin and the LNG 

title holder, once those agreements have 

been executed. 

Gasfin states that the proposed Project 

site is located in close proximity to 

various major interstate and intrastate 

pipeline systems, including those of 

Tennessee Gas Pipeline Company, ANR 

Pipeline Company, Bridgeline Holdings, 

L.P., Columbia Gulf Transmission 

Company, and Natural Gas Pipeline 

Company of America. According to 

Gasfin, specific interconnections with 

these neighboring pipelines will be 

driven by customer demand for delivery 

and receipt points. 

Gasfin states that the planned 

construction of a short pipeline 

(approximately 3 to 11 miles long), to be 

built either by Gasfin or a third-party 

pipeline company, will allow the 

Project to interconnect with major 

pipeline systems that span large regions 

of the United States and cross multiple 

conventional and unconventional gas 

plays. As a result, Gasfin asserts that the 

Project will be able to source gas from 

almost any point on the U.S. natural gas 

pipeline grid through direct physical 

delivery, by displacement on the spot 

market, or pursuant to long-term supply 

arrangements. 

Gasfin states that it has not yet 

entered into long-term supply and longterm LNG purchase and sale or export 

agreements, but it is engaged in 

commercial discussions with various 

potential regional and international 

large industrial customers. Gasfin 

further states that it has commenced 

negotiations with the neighboring 

pipelines for transportation capacity, 

interconnection points, and the 

development of the planned pipeline. 

According to Gasfin, it will finalize 

these arrangements once commercial 

discussions progress with potential 

customers. Gasfin states that it will 

submit transaction-specific information 

to DOE/FE when such contracts are 

executed. 

Public Interest Considerations 

Gasfin contends that publicly 

available information demonstrates that 

the United States has significant natural 

gas resources to meet projected future 

domestic needs, including the quantities 

requested for export to non-FTA 

countries in the current Application. 

Gasfin maintains that it is evident from 

the current supply/demand balance of 

natural gas in the United States that its 

requested authorization will not 

impinge on any national or regional 

need for the gas. In support of the 

Application, Gasfin addresses the 

following: 

Domestic Natural Gas Supply. Gasfin 

contends that the U.S. Energy 

Information Administration’s (EIA) 

Annual Outlook 2013 (AEO 2013) 

supports the view that the U.S. natural 

gas resource base continues to expand 

rapidly. Gasfin highlights AEO 2013 

projections that U.S. dry natural gas 

production will total 33.14 trillion cubic 

feet (Tcf) (90.8 Bcf/d) by 2040, an 

increase of 10.14 Tcf (27.8 Bcf/d), or 

44.1%, from production levels of 23.0 

Tcf (63.0 Bcf/d) in 2011. Gasfin also 

notes EIA’s short-term forecast, which 

projects domestic marketed production 

to increase from 69.2 Bcf/d in 2012 to 

70.4 Bcf/d in 2013, marking a third 

record-breaking year in a row. Pointing 

to EIA’s 2014 projections, Gasfin asserts 

that this trend is expected to continue. 

Gasfin next points to recent industry 

evaluations that, according to Gasfin, 

reflect a robust outlook for increased 

domestic natural gas supply capacity. 

As one example, Gasfin highlights a 

natural gas resource assessment 

prepared by the Potential Gas 

Committee of the Colorado School of 

Mines (Potential Gas Committee) in 

April 2013. Gasfin states that the 

Potential Gas Committee raised its prior 

estimates of the U.S. technically 

recoverable gas resource base by 486 

Tcf, or 25.6%, to 2,384 Tcf at year-end 

2012, the highest resource evaluation in 

the group’s 48-year history. 

Gasfin concludes that the Potential 

Gas Committee resource assessment, 

AEO 2013, and other publicly available 

information demonstrate that the United 

States has sufficient natural gas 

resources available at modest prices to 

meet projected domestic demand over 

the next 25 years. 

Domestic Natural Gas Demand. Citing 

the AEO 2013 Reference Case, Gasfin 

states that the domestic natural gas 

market is projected to grow at a 0.7% 

annual rate through 2040, with demand 

projected to expand to 29.54 Tcf of 

natural gas (80.9 Bcf/d) in 2040 from 

24.37 Tcf (66.7 Bcf/d) in 2011. 

Supply-Demand Balance. Gasfin 

contends that recent trends in the U.S. 

natural gas market demonstrate that 

there is little, if any, domestic need for 

the natural gas that would be exported 

as a result of its requested authorization. 

Citing EIA data, Gasfin asserts that U.S. 

natural gas production has been growing 

at almost twice the rate of domestic 

demand growth since 2005. According 

to Gasfin, this trend demonstrates that 

available natural gas reserves exceed 

current demand, and that future 

resources exist well in excess of 

projected long-term domestic needs. 

Gasfin notes that the AEO 2013 

Reference Case projects that domestic 

natural gas production is expected to 

exceed domestic consumption by 3.6 

Tcf (9.86 Bcf/d) by 2040. Gasfin 

reiterates that this surplus of deliverable 

supply demonstrates that resources are 

available for export and would not 

interfere with the public interest. 

Price Impacts. Gasfin maintains that 

EIA data and other publicly-available 

information demonstrate that the United 

States has sufficient natural gas 

resources available at modest prices to 

meet projected domestic demand over 

the export period requested by Gasfin in 

the Application. To support this point, 

Gasfin discusses two studies: (i) The 

NERA Study, which concluded that the 

largest price impacts after five years of 

LNG export growth would range from 

$0.22 to $1.11 per Mcf, and that exports 

of LNG will provide a net economic 

benefit to the United States, regardless 

of the amount of LNG that is exported; 

and (ii) the ICF State-Level Study, 

which projected net gross domestic 

product gains in natural gas producing 

states ranging from $10 to $31 billion 

and up to $2.6 billion to $5 billion for 

non-natural gas producing states by 

2035, as well as net jobs gains 

nationwide in 2035. 

Based on these factors, Gasfin 

maintains that the proposed exports are 

not inconsistent with the public 

interest. Additional details can be found 

in Gasfin’s Application, which is posted 

on the DOE/FE Web site at: http://

www.fossil.energy.gov/programs/

gasregulation/authorizations/2013_

applications/13_161_lngnfta.pdf. 

Environmental Impact 

Gasfin states that the potential 

environmental impact of the Project will 

be reviewed by the Federal Energy 

Regulatory Commission (FERC). Gasfin 

further states that FERC will conduct 

that review in conjunction with Gasfin’s 

request to site, construct, and operate 

the Project under section (3) of the NGA. 


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Federal Register / Vol. 79, No. 147 / Thursday, July 31, 2014 / Notices 44441 

Gasfin states that, consistent with the 

National Environmental Policy Act 

(NEPA), 42 U.S.C. 4321 et seq., FERC 

will act as the lead agency for the 

environmental review, with DOE acting 

as a cooperating agency. Gasfin 

anticipates requesting authorization to 

commence FERC’s mandatory NEPA 

pre-filing review process for the Project 

once the commercial discussions with 

potential customers and project partners 

have progressed. 

DOE/FE Evaluation 

The Application will be reviewed 

pursuant to section 3(a) of the NGA, 15 

U.S.C. 717b(a), and DOE will consider 

any issues required by law or policy. To 

the extent determined to be relevant, 

these issues will include the domestic 

need for the natural gas proposed to be 

exported, the adequacy of domestic 

natural gas supply, U.S. energy security, 

and the cumulative impact of the 

requested authorization and any other 

LNG export application(s) previously 

approved on domestic natural gas 

supply and demand fundamentals. DOE 

may also consider other factors bearing 

on the public interest, including the 

impact of the proposed exports on the 

U.S. economy (including GDP, 

consumers, and industry), job creation, 

the U.S. balance of trade, and 

international considerations; and 

whether the authorization is consistent 

with DOE’s policy of promoting 

competition in the marketplace by 

allowing commercial parties to freely 

negotiate their own trade arrangements. 

Parties that may oppose this 

Application should address these issues 

in their comments and/or protests, as 

well as other issues deemed relevant to 

the Application. 

NEPA requires DOE to give 

appropriate consideration to the 

environmental effects of its decisions. 

No final decision will be issued in this 

proceeding until DOE has met its 

environmental responsibilities. 

Due to the complexity of the issues 

raised by the Applicant, interested 

persons will be provided 60 days from 

the date of publication of this Notice in 

which to submit comments, protests, 

motions to intervene, notices of 

intervention, or motions for additional 

procedures. 

Public Comment Procedures 

In response to this Notice, any person 

may file a protest, comments, or a 

motion to intervene or notice of 

intervention, as applicable. Any person 

wishing to become a party to the 

proceeding must file a motion to 

intervene or notice of intervention, as 

applicable. The filing of comments or a 

protest with respect to the Application 

will not serve to make the commenter or 

protestant a party to the proceeding, 

although protests and comments 

received from persons who are not 

parties will be considered in 

determining the appropriate action to be 

taken on the Application. All protests, 

comments, motions to intervene, or 

notices of intervention must meet the 

requirements specified by the 

regulations in 10 CFR part 590. 

Filings may be submitted using one of 

the following methods: (1) Emailing the 

filing to fergas@hq.doe.gov with FE 

Docket No. 13–161–LNG in the title 

line; (2) mailing an original and three 

paper copies of the filing to the Office 

of Oil and Gas Global Security and 

Supply at the address listed in 

ADDRESSES; or (3) hand delivering an 

original and three paper copies of the 

filing to the Office of Oil and Gas Global 

Security and Supply at the address 

listed in ADDRESSES. All filings must 

include a reference to FE Docket No. 

13–161–LNG. Please Note: If submitting 

a filing via email, please include all 

related documents and attachments 

(e.g., exhibits) in the original email 

correspondence. Please do not include 

any active hyperlinks or password 

protection in any of the documents or 

attachments related to the filing. All 

electronic filings submitted to DOE 

must follow these guidelines to ensure 

that all documents are filed in a timely 

manner. Any hardcopy filing submitted 

greater in length than 50 pages must 

also include, at the time of the filing, a 

digital copy on disk of the entire 

submission. 

A decisional record on the 

Application will be developed through 

responses to this notice by parties, 

including the parties’ written comments 

and replies thereto. Additional 

procedures will be used as necessary to 

achieve a complete understanding of the 

facts and issues. A party seeking 

intervention may request that additional 

procedures be provided, such as 

additional written comments, an oral 

presentation, a conference, or trial-type 

hearing. Any request to file additional 

written comments should explain why 

they are necessary. Any request for an 

oral presentation should identify the 

substantial question of fact, law, or 

policy at issue, show that it is material 

and relevant to a decision in the 

proceeding, and demonstrate why an 

oral presentation is needed. Any request 

for a conference should demonstrate 

why the conference would materially 

advance the proceeding. Any request for 

a trial-type hearing must show that there 

are factual issues genuinely in dispute 

that are relevant and material to a 

decision, and that a trial-type hearing is 

necessary for a full and true disclosure 

of the facts. 

If an additional procedure is 

scheduled, notice will be provided to all 

parties. If no party requests additional 

procedures, a final Opinion and Order 

may be issued based on the official 

record, including the Application and 

responses filed by parties pursuant to 

this notice, in accordance with 10 CFR 

590.316. 

The Application is available for 

inspection and copying in the Division 

of Natural Gas Regulatory Activities 

docket room, Room 3E–042, 1000 

Independence Avenue SW., 

Washington, DC 20585. The docket 

room is open between the hours of 8:00 

a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through 

Friday, except Federal holidays. The 

Application and any filed protests, 

motions to intervene or notice of 

interventions, and comments will also 

be available electronically by going to 

the following DOE/FE Web address: 

http://www.fe.doe.gov/programs/

gasregulation/index.html. 

Issued in Washington, DC, on July 25, 

2014. 

John A. Anderson, 

Director, Division of Natural Gas Regulatory 

Activities, Office of Oil and Gas Global 

Security and Supply, Office of Oil and 

Natural Gas. 

[FR Doc. 2014–18030 Filed 7–30–14; 8:45 am] 

BILLING CODE 6450–01–P 

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY 

Secretary of Energy Advisory Board; 

Meeting: Correction 

AGENCY: Department of Energy. 

ACTION: Notice of Open Meeting: 

Correction. 

SUMMARY: The Department of Energy 

(DOE) published in the Federal Register 

on July 18, 2014, a notice of an open 

meeting for the Secretary of Energy 

Advisory Board (SEAB). The notice is 

being corrected to change the Agenda 

topics and point of contact for the 

meeting. 

Correction: In the Federal Register of 

July 18, 2014, in FR DOC. 2014—16910, 

on pages 42001, please make the 

following corrections: 

In the FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

CONTACT heading, first column, first 

paragraph, first line, please remove, 

‘‘Karen Gibson, Designated Federal 

Officer’’ ‘‘telephone: (202) 586–3787’’ 

and in its place add ‘‘Corey WilliamsAllen, Deputy Designated Federal 

Officer’’ ‘‘telephone: (202) 586–1916’’. 

In the Tentative Agenda heading, first 

column, first paragraph, fourth line, 


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