80 FR 57349 - ConocoPhillips Company; Application for Blanket Authorization To Export Previously Imported Liquefied Natural Gas on a Short-Term Basis

DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Register Volume 80, Issue 184 (September 23, 2015)

The Office of Fossil Energy (FE) of the Department of Energy (DOE) gives notice of receipt of an application (Application), filed on August 27, 2015, by ConocoPhillips Company (ConocoPhillips), requesting blanket authorization to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) previously imported into the United States from foreign sources in an amount up to the equivalent of 500 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of natural gas on a short-term or spot market basis for a two-year period commencing on January 1, 2016.\1\ ConocoPhillips seeks authorization to export the LNG from the LNG terminal facilities owned by Freeport LNG Development, L.P. located on Quintana Island, Texas,\2\ to any country with the capacity to import LNG via ocean-going carrier and with which trade is not prohibited by U.S. law or policy. ConocoPhillips states that it does not seek authorization to export any domestically produced natural gas or LNG. DOE/FE notes that ConocoPhillips currently holds a blanket authorization to import LNG from various international sources by vessel, and to export LNG to Canada and Mexico by vessel, in an amount up to the equivalent of 500 Bcf of natural gas.\3\ ConocoPhillips is requesting this authorization both on its own behalf and as agent for other parties who will hold title to the LNG at the time of export. The Application was filed under section 3 of the Natural Gas Act (NGA). Additional details can be found in ConocoPhillips's Application, posted on the DOE/FE Web site at: http://energy.gov/fe/downloads/freeport-lng- development-lp-fe-dkt-no-15-130-lng. Protests, motions to intervene, notices of intervention, and written comments are invited. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 184 (Wednesday, September 23, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 57349-57350]
From the Federal Register Online  [www.thefederalregister.org]
[FR Doc No: 2015-24197]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

[FE Docket No. 15-130-LNG]


ConocoPhillips Company; Application for Blanket Authorization To 
Export Previously Imported Liquefied Natural Gas on a Short-Term Basis

AGENCY: Office of Fossil Energy, DOE.

ACTION: Notice of application.

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SUMMARY: The Office of Fossil Energy (FE) of the Department of Energy 
(DOE) gives notice of receipt of an application (Application), filed on 
August 27, 2015, by ConocoPhillips Company (ConocoPhillips), requesting 
blanket authorization to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) previously 
imported into the United States from foreign sources in an amount up to 
the equivalent of 500 billion cubic feet (Bcf) of natural gas on a 
short-term or spot market basis for a two-year period commencing on 
January 1, 2016.\1\ ConocoPhillips seeks authorization to export the 
LNG from the LNG terminal facilities owned by Freeport LNG Development, 
L.P. located on Quintana Island, Texas,\2\ to any country with the 
capacity to import LNG via ocean-going carrier and with which trade is 
not prohibited by U.S. law or policy. ConocoPhillips states that it 
does not seek authorization to export any domestically produced natural 
gas or LNG. DOE/FE notes that ConocoPhillips currently holds a blanket 
authorization to import LNG from various international sources by 
vessel, and to export LNG to Canada and Mexico by vessel, in an amount 
up to the equivalent of 500 Bcf of natural gas.\3\ ConocoPhillips is 
requesting this authorization both on its own behalf and as agent for 
other parties who will hold title to the LNG at the time of export. The 
Application was filed under section 3 of the Natural Gas Act (NGA). 
Additional details can be found in ConocoPhillips's Application, posted 
on the DOE/FE Web site at: http://energy.gov/fe/downloads/freeport-lng-development-lp-fe-dkt-no-15-130-lng. Protests, motions to intervene, 
notices of intervention, and written comments are invited.
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    \1\ ConocoPhillips's current blanket authorization to export 
previously imported LNG, granted in DOE/FE Order No. 3359 on 
November 7, 2013, extends through December 31, 2015 (FE Docket No. 
13-97-LNG).
    \2\ ConocoPhillips states that it has a commercial terminaling 
arrangement at the Freeport LNG Terminal that currently extends 
through June 30, 2016, and the parties are contemplating entering 
into other terminaling arrangements thereafter.
    \3\ ConocoPhillips Co., DOE/FE Order No. 3685, FE Docket No. 15-
102-LNG, Order Granting Blanket Authorization to Import Liquefied 
Natural Gas from Various International Sources by Vessel and to 
Export LNG to Canada and Mexico by Vessel (July 23, 2015).

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, October 23, 
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2015.

ADDRESSES: 

Electronic Filing by Email [email protected].

Regular Mail

    U.S. Department of Energy (FE-34), Office of Oil and Gas Global 
Security

[[Page 57350]]

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: Beverly Howard, or Larine Moore, 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) 586-9387; (202) 
586-9478.
    Cassandra Bernstein, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of the 
Assistant General Counsel for Electricity and Fossil Energy, Forrestal 
Building, 1000 Independence Ave. SW., Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-
9793.

DOE/FE Evaluation

    The Application will be reviewed pursuant to section 3 of the NGA, 
as amended, and the authority contained in DOE Delegation Order No. 00-
002.00N (July 11, 2013) and DOE Redelegation Order No. 00-006.02 (Nov. 
17, 2014). In reviewing this LNG export application, DOE will consider 
domestic need for the natural gas, as well as any other issues 
determined to be appropriate, including whether the arrangement 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 
comment in their responses on these issues.
    The National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), 42 U.S.C. 4321 et 
seq., requires DOE to give appropriate consideration to the 
environmental effects of its proposed decisions. No final decision will 
be issued in this proceeding until DOE has met its NEPA 
responsibilities.

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. 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 [email protected], with FE Docket No. 15-130-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 
Supply at the address listed in ADDRESSES. All filings must include a 
reference to FE Docket No. 15-130-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. 
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 September 17, 2015.
John A. Anderson,
Director, Office of Oil and Gas Global Security and Supply, Office of 
Oil and Natural Gas.
[FR Doc. 2015-24197 Filed 9-22-15; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P