DOE announced on Thursday that it has authorized an immediate 22 percent increase in LNG exports from the Elba Island terminal.
With this order, DOE allowed Kinder Morgan subsidiary Southern LNG, operator of the terminal, to export up to an additional 28.25 (Bcf/yr) to non-free trade agreement countries, DOE said.
Elba Island was previously authorized to export up to 130 billion cubic feet per year (Bcf/yr) of natural gas as LNG to non-free trade agreement countries and has been exporting US LNG since 2019.
DOE said the project is “positioned to export the additional approved volumes immediately.”
Moreover, the action comes amid global oil and LNG supply routes facing disruption due to tensions in the Middle East.
“The Department will continue to act, using its full set of authorities, to ensure US LNG remains a dependable energy source in global energy markets and a stabilizing presence in times of disruption,” DOE said.
Optimization project
In 2024, Kinder Morgan received approval from the US FERC to add about 0.4 mtpa of capacity at the Elba Island LNG export plant in Georgia as part of an optimization project.
The Elba Island facility has 10 identical movable modular liquefaction units with a capacity of about 2.5 mtpa of LNG.
A unit of Shell offtakes all of the liquefaction capacity under a 20-year deal.
Under the Elba Liquefaction optimization project, the facility will increase its capacity to 2.9 mtpa.
Specifically, the optimization project consists of modifications to the 10 MMLS units and includes a new condensate plant.
According to recent FERC filings, Kinder Morgan placed the new condensate plant into service on February 19, 2026.
The company was working on modifications for MMLS 7 and MMLS 10 last month.
In 2023, Southern LNG filed the application with DOE for an additional 28.25 (Bcf/yr) of exports by vessel to non-FTA countries.
Subsequently,, SLNG filed an amendment last year asking DOE to amend the original application to allow exports in two additional ways.
These include exports in approved ISO containers loaded onto vessels, and in bulk, loaded into bunkering vessels for transfer as marine fuel to ships located within the territorial sea of
foreign countries, including in foreign ports.
DOE said this bew authorization is for a term commencing on the date of first export and extending through December 31, 2050.
Also, Southern LNG received approval to export these LNG supplies on its own behalf and as agent for other entities that hold title to the natural gas, pursuant to one or more contracts of any duration.
