Approved Applications and Operational Facilities

To date, eighteen Deepwater Port License Applications have been filed for approval. Sixteen applications were filed for licenses to import liquefied natural gas (LNG) and two applications were filed for licenses to import oil.

Eight applications have been approved; of the eight applications that have been approved, seven licenses have been issued to import both LNG and oil and one license is pending for a LNG port proposed for construction and operation in the Gulf of Mexico.  Of the seven licenses issued, two have been surrendered.

One application has been denied; eight applications have been withdrawn; and one application is currently under review.

Main Pass Energy Hub (FreeportMcMoRan)
Main Pass Energy Hub, LLC filed an application for a deepwater port license on February 27, 2004.  The application was originally deemed incomplete.  After the submission of supplemental information, the application was deemed complete via a Federal Register Notice on June 22, 2004.  The proposed facility is to be located in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Louisiana.  On May 5, 2006, the Governor of Louisiana used his authority as governor of an Adjacent Coastal State to veto the project based on proposed use of the open-loop regasification system and the possible environmental impacts to the marine life in the Gulf of Mexico.

On May 31, 2006, the applicant resubmitted an amended application, proposing the use of a closed-loop regasification system. The revised application was deemed complete and the supplemental Environmental Assessment (EA) on the proposed change was circulated for public comment.  A favorable Record of Decision was issued by the Maritime Administration on January 3, 2007.

However, the Maritime Administration has not issued the license for this project due to the applicant’s inability to meet the financial responsibility requirements of the Deepwater Port Act.  A License will not be issued until this specific requirement is met to the satisfaction of the Maritime Administration.

Link to the Federal Docket for the Main Pass Energy Hub (Docket Number: USCG-2004-17696)

Port Dolphin (Port Dolphin LLC)
On March 29, 2007, Port Dolphin Energy LLC filed an application with the Maritime Administration to construct a deepwater port located in federal waters approximately 28 miles offshore of the Tampa Bay area of Florida.  The applicant is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Höegh LNG.  The proposed port will consist of two mooring areas centered on two Submerged Turret Loading (STL) Buoys similar to those used in the Gulf Gateway, Northeast Gateway, Neptune and Calypso projects.

A letter of completeness was issued to the applicant on June 15, 2007.  A Notice of Availability for the Draft Environmental Impact Statement was issued in the Federal Register on June 15, 2007 and the public meeting took place in Palmetto, FL on July 25, 2007.  On August 10, 2007, a letter to suspend the regulatory timeline for processing the application was issued to Höegh for more information on the proposed Port Dolphin deepwater port.  The suspension was lifted on February 6, 2008, and the applicant hosted an open house and public meeting on May 6, 2008, in Palmetto, FL.  On June 24, 2008, the timeline was suspended based on the need for additional information. In February of 2009, responses to several data requests were received.  On June 3, 2009, the timeline suspension was lifted and the interim final environmental impact statement was released by the Maritime Administration and U.S. Coast Guard for review.    

A public hearing on the Final Environmental Impact Statement (FEIS) for the Port Dolphin Energy Deepwater Port was held in Palmetto, Florida on July 28, 2009 at the Manatee Convention Center.  On September 11, 2009, Florida Governor Charlie Crist approved the Port Dolphin deepwater port application.  The Maritime Administration issued a Record of Decision (ROD) approving, with conditions, the Port Dolphin Energy Deepwater Port License application on October 26, 2009. 

The license was signed by the Maritime Administrator on March 25, 2010 and issued on April 19, 2010.

Website: Port Dolphin
Link to the Federal Docket for Port Dolphin (Docket Number: USCG-2007-28532)

Gulf Gateway Energy Bridge (Excelerate Energy)
Gulf Gateway Energy Bridge, LLC (Gulf Gateway), which was formerly owned by El Paso Energy Bridge Gulf of Mexico, LLC, and now owned by Excelerate Energy Limited Partnership, filed a Deepwater Port License Application on December 20, 2002.  

The Gulf Gateway site is located in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Louisiana and consists of a Submerged Turret Loading (STL) system that is comprised of a submerged turret buoy; chains, lines and anchors; a flexible riser; and a subsea manifold.  A Record of Decision was issued on December 31, 2003, and the license was issued on May 26, 2004.  This was the second license issued under the Deepwater Port Act since the law was amended in 2002.  

Offshore construction of Gulf Gateway was completed in February 2005 at a cost of approximately 70 million dollars.  The first cargo delivery was made on March 17, 2005, from the world's first liquefied natural gas re-gasification vessel, the EBRV Excelsior.  On March 20, 2005, Gulf Gateway successfully commenced operations.  Gulf Gateway has a baseload capacity of 500 million cubic feet per day with a peak capacity of 690 million cubic feet per day.

Website: Gulf Gateway
Link to the Federal Docket for Gulf Gateway (Docket Number: USCG-2003-14294)

Louisiana Offshore Oil Port (Marathon Domestic LLC)
The Louisiana Offshore Oil Port (LOOP) is the only Deepwater Port petroleum terminal in existence today.  LOOP is located 16 miles southeast of Port Fourchon in the Gulf of Mexico.  LOOP was built by a group of major oil and pipeline companies, and has been operational since 1981.  It serves as an unloading and distribution port for incoming supertankers to the Gulf region.  The petroleum is piped north to Lafourche Parish, where it is stored and piped to markets throughout the country.

LOOP has announced future plans to expand its port storage capacity and construct a new pipeline.  To date, no expansion plan has been submitted to the Maritime Administration or the U.S. Coast Guard.

Website: Louisiana Offshore Oil Port
Link to the Federal Docket for the Louisiana Offshore Oil Port (Docket Number: USCG-2000-6981)

Neptune LNG (Suez LNG N.A.)
Neptune LNG LLC filed an application on February 15, 2005 for an LNG facility to be located in Massachusetts Bay, 10 miles south of Gloucester and 22 miles Northeast of Boston.  On January 31, 2007, the Maritime Administrator signed a favorable Record of Decision for the Neptune project, contingent upon the applicant's committment to employ U.S. mariners aboard its vessels servicing the facility.  On March 26, 2007, the Maritime Administration issued a Deepwater Port License to Suez LNG to build, own, and operate an LNG receiving and regasification facility.  On October 31, 2008, pipeline construction activities were completed for the 2008 calendar year. The second phase of construction ended in September 2009.  The Neptune deepwater port was partially commissioned in April 2010 and is currently operational.

Website:  Neptune LNG LLC
Link to the Federal Docket for Neptune LNG (Docket Number: USCG-2005-22611) 

Northeast Gateway (Excelerate)
Excelerate Energy filed an application on June 13, 2005 for a Deepwater Port terminal located in Massachusetts Bay, approximately 13 miles south-southeast of the city of Gloucester, MA and in federal waters approximately 270 feet in depth.  On February 7, 2007, the Maritime Administrator signed the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Northeast Gateway Deepwater Port project, contingent upon the applicant's commitment to employ U.S. mariners aboard its vessels servicing the facility.  On May 14, 2007, Maritime Administrator Sean T. Connaughton signed the license for Excelerate to own, operate and construct the Northeast Gateway Deepwater Port.  Construction on the Deepwater Port commenced on May 27, 2007.  Northeast Gateway received its first LNG cargo through the port system in May of 2008.  In early 2009, Excelerate confirmed another delivery to the port to commission a newly-constructed Energy Bridge Regasification Vessel.

On February 17, 2010, Excelerate Energy’s sixth Energy Bridge Regasification Vessel (EBRV) H.2270 Exquisite arrived at the Northeast Gateway Deepwater Port to complete its full commissioning exercises.  The Exquisite is the third ‘Explorer-Class’ EBRV in Excelerate’s purpose-built regasification vessels to go into commercial operation and represents Excelerate’s third-generation EBRV design.

Website: Northeast Gateway
Link to the Federal Docket for Northeast Gateway (Docket Number: USCG-2005-22219)