McDermott and Chiyoda International Corporation have substantially completed construction and commissioning on Train 1 at the Golden Pass LNG export terminal in Sabine Pass, Texas, allowing start-up operations to begin and first LNG to be achieved.
The milestone advances one of the largest LNG developments in North America. McDermott, the lead partner in the joint venture responsible for all three trains, said the result reflects years of engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning work. The company said the achievement also showed its ability, together with its partners, to deliver complex LNG infrastructure safely.
Work is continuing on trains 2 and 3. Golden Pass LNG is jointly owned by QatarEnergy with 70% and ExxonMobil with 30%. Alex Savva, President and CEO of Golden Pass, said LNG production had started at the Sabine Pass terminal after the first train was constructed, commissioned, and started up.
Exports to international customers are expected to begin in the second quarter of 2026. The project’s entry into operation comes as conflict in the Middle East affects regional safety, global energy markets, and the wider economy. Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, Minister of State for Energy Affairs of Qatar and President and CEO of QatarEnergy, said the start of operations would come at an important time for global energy security.
Golden Pass LNG includes three liquefaction trains with total capacity of 18.1 million tonnes per year, five LNG storage tanks of 155,000 cbm each, and two marine berths for large LNG carriers. QatarEnergy described the development as its largest investment in the United States and linked it to its 2018 plan to invest $20 billion in the U.S. energy sector.
ExxonMobil and QatarEnergy took a final investment decision on the project, worth more than $10 billion, in February 2019.
