Notice2026-07980
Gulf LNG Liquefaction Company, LLC; Request for Extension of Export Commencement Deadline
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
April 23, 2026
Issuing agencies
Energy Department
Abstract
The Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Office (HGEO) of the Department of Energy (DOE) gives notice (Notice) of receipt of a request (Request), filed on March 31, 2026, by Gulf LNG Liquefaction Company, LLC (GLLC). GLLC asks DOE to amend its existing authorization to export domestically produced liquefied natural gas (LNG) to non-free trade agreement countries set forth in DOE/FE Order No. 4410 (as amended)--specifically, to extend its current export commencement deadline. GLLC filed the Request under the Natural Gas Act (NGA).
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 78 (Thursday, April 23, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 78 (Thursday, April 23, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 21802-21804]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-07980]
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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
[Docket No. 12-101-LNG]
Gulf LNG Liquefaction Company, LLC; Request for Extension of
Export Commencement Deadline
AGENCY: Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Office, Department of
Energy.
ACTION: Notice of request.
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SUMMARY: The Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Office (HGEO) of the
Department of Energy (DOE) gives notice (Notice) of receipt of a
request (Request), filed on March 31, 2026, by Gulf LNG Liquefaction
Company, LLC (GLLC). GLLC asks DOE to amend its existing authorization
to export domestically produced liquefied natural gas (LNG) to non-free
trade agreement countries set forth in DOE/FE Order No. 4410 (as
amended)--specifically, to
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extend its current export commencement deadline. GLLC filed the Request
under the Natural Gas Act (NGA).
DATES: Protests, motions to intervene, or notices of intervention, as
applicable, and written comments are to be filed electronically as
detailed in the Public Comment Procedures section no later than 4:30
p.m., Eastern time, May 26, 2026.
ADDRESSES:
Electronic Filing by email (Strongly encouraged):
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#680e0d1a0f091b280019460c070d460f071e"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e6808394818795a68e97c8828983c8818990">[email protected]</span></a>.
Postal Mail, Hand Delivery, or Private Delivery Services (e.g.,
FedEx, UPS, etc.):
U.S. Department of Energy (EX-34) Office of Global Energy Security,
Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Office, Forrestal Building, Room 3E-
056, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585.
Due to potential delays in DOE's receipt and processing of mail
sent through the U.S. Postal Service, we encourage respondents to
submit filings electronically to ensure timely receipt.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Jennifer Wade or Peri Ulrey, U.S. Department of Energy (EX-31) Office
of Global Energy Security, Office of Strategic ResourcesHydrocarbons
and Geothermal Energy Office, Forrestal Building, Room 3E-042, 1000
Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20585, (202) 586-4749 or (202)
586-7893, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#f298979c9c9b949780dc85939697b29a83dc969d97dc959d84"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="abc1cec5c5c2cdced985dccacfceebc3da85cfc4ce85ccc4dd">[email protected]</span></a> or <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#d6a6b3a4bff8a3baa4b3af96bea7f8b2b9b3f8b1b9a0"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="a4d4c1d6cd8ad1c8d6c1dde4ccd58ac0cbc18ac3cbd2">[email protected]</span></a>
Cassandra Bernstein, U.S. Department of Energy (GC-76) Office of the
Assistant General Counsel for Energy Delivery and Resilience, Forrestal
Building, Room 6D-033, 1000 Independence Avenue SW, Washington, DC
20585,(240) 780-1691, <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#5231332121333c3620337c3037203c2126373b3c123a237c363d377c353d24"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="690a081a1a08070d1b08470b0c1b071a1d0c0007290118470d060c470e061f">[email protected]</span></a>
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On July 31, 2019, in DOE/FE Order No. 4410,
as amended,\1\ DOE's Office of Fossil Energy (now known as the
Hydrocarbons and Geothermal Energy Office) \2\ authorized GLLC to
export domestically produced LNG by vessel from the proposed Gulf LNG
Liquefaction Project (Project), to be located at the Gulf LNG Terminal
\3\ in Jackson County, Mississippi, near the city of Pascagoula, to any
country with which the United States has not entered into a free trade
agreement (FTA) requiring national treatment for trade in natural gas,
and with which trade is not prohibited by U.S. law or policy (non-FTA
countries), pursuant to NGA section 3(a).\4\ GLLC is authorized to
export this LNG in a volume equivalent to 558.9 billion cubic feet
(Bcf) per year (Bcf/yr) of natural gas for a term extending through
December 31, 2050.\5\
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\1\ Gulf LNG Liquefaction Co., LLC, DOE/FE Order No. 4410,
Docket No. 12-101-LNG, Opinion and Order Granting Long-Term
Authorization to Export Liquefied Natural Gas to Non-Free Trade
Agreement Nations (July 31, 2019), amended by DOE/FE Order No. 4410-
A (Jan. 12, 2021) (extending export term).
\2\ The Office of Fossil Energy (FE) changed its name to FECM on
July 4, 2021. Subsequently, on November 20, 2025, FECM changed its
name to HGEO. DOE uses the acronym in effect at the time of each
order or action discussed herein.
\3\ The Gulf LNG Terminal is an existing import terminal owned
by GLLC's affiliate, Gulf LNG Energy, LLC. See Gulf LNG Liquefaction
Co., LLC, DOE/FE Order No. 4410, at 1.
\4\ 15 U.S.C. 717b(a).
\5\ See DOE/FE Order No. 4410-A, at 10-11 (Ordering Para. C).
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Under Order No. 4410, GLLC is required to ``commence export
operations using the planned liquefaction facility no later than seven
years from the date of issuance of this Order''--i.e., by July 31,
2026.\6\ In the Request, GLLC asks DOE to extend this export
commencement deadline by five years, to July 31, 2031.\7\
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\6\ DOE/FE Order No. 4410, at 66 (Ordering Para. D).
\7\ See Gulf LNG Liquefaction Company, LLC, Request for
Extension of Commencement Deadline, Docket No. 12-101-LNG, at 1, 2,
3, 6 (Mar. 31, 2026) [hereinafter Request].
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In support of this Request, GLLC states that, in the period since
the issuance of Order No. 4410, GLLC has been attempting to enter into
commercial agreements for the export of LNG from the Gulf LNG
Liquefaction Project and to proceed with the construction and operation
of the terminal facilities to support its authorized export activities.
GLLC states that ``those good faith efforts have been frustrated by
events outside of GLLC's control,'' but that, notwithstanding these
challenges, GLLC has been actively developing the project.\8\
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\8\ Id. at 4.
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Additionally, GLLC states that, on May 23, 2024, the Federal Energy
Regulatory Commission (FERC) granted GLLC's request for an extension of
its existing construction and in-service deadline for the Project until
July 16, 2029.\9\ GLLC states that the requested commencement extension
until July 31, 2031, will provide GLLC with additional time after
FERC's current construction and in-service deadline to execute
commercial contracts and begin exports.
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\9\ Id. at 2 (citing Gulf LNG Liquefaction Company, LLC, et al,
187 FERC ] 61,096 (2024)).
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Additional details can be found in the Request, posted on the DOE
website at <a href="https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2026-04/Gulf%20LNG%20Request%20for%20Ext.%20of%20Commencement%20Deadline%20%2812-101-LNG%29.pdf">https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2026-04/Gulf%20LNG%20Request%20for%20Ext.%20of%20Commencement%20Deadline%20%2812-101-LNG%29.pdf</a>.
DOE Evaluation
In reviewing the Request, DOE will consider any issues required by
law or policy under NGA section 3(a), DOE's regulations, and any other
documents deemed appropriate.
Parties that may oppose the Request should address these issues and
documents in their comments and/or protests, as well as other issues
deemed relevant to the Request.
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, addressing the Request. Interested parties will be provided
30 days from the date of publication of this Notice in the Federal
Register in which to submit comments, protests, motions to intervene,
or notices of intervention. The public previously was given an
opportunity to intervene in, protest, and comment on GLLC's long-term
non-FTA application in this docket. Therefore, DOE will not consider
comments or protests that do not bear directly on this Request.
Any person wishing to become a party to this proceeding evaluating
the GLLC' Request must file a motion to intervene or notice of
intervention.\10\ The filing of comments or a protest with respect to
the Request will not serve to make the commenter or protestant a party
to this 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 Request. All protests, comments,
motions to intervene, or notices of intervention must meet the
requirements specified by DOE's regulations in 10 CFR part 590,
including the service requirements.
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\10\ Status as an intervenor in prior proceeding(s) in this
docket does not continue to this proceeding evaluating the GLLC's
Request, and therefore any person interested in intervening to
address the Request must file a new motion to intervene (or notice
of intervention, as applicable). 10 CFR 590.303.
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Filings may be submitted using one of the following methods:
[[Page 21804]]
(1) Submitting the filing electronically at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#e98f8c9b8e889aa98198c78d868cc78e869f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="6a0c0f180d0b192a021b440e050f440d051c">[email protected]</span></a>;
(2) Mailing the filing to the Office of Global Energy Security at
the address listed in the ADDRESSES section; or
(3) Hand delivering the filing to the Office of Global Energy
Security at the address listed in the ADDRESSES section.
For administrative efficiency, DOE prefers filings to be filed
electronically. All filings must include a reference to ``Docket No.
12-101-LNG'' or ``GLLC's Request for Extension'' in the title line.
Filings must be submitted in English to be considered.\11\
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\11\ Executive Order 14224 of March 1, 2025, Designating English
as the Official Language of the United States, 90 FR 11363 (Mar. 6,
2025).
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For electronic submissions: 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.
The Request, and any filed protests, motions to intervene, notices
of intervention, and comments will be available electronically on the
DOE website at <a href="http://www.energy.gov/hgeo/regulation">www.energy.gov/hgeo/regulation</a>.
A decisional record on the Request 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 Order may
be issued based on the official record, including the Request and
responses filed by parties pursuant to this Notice, in accordance with
10 CFR 590.316.
Signed in Washington, DC, on April 21, 2026.
Amy Sweeney,
Director, Office of Global Energy Security, Office of Strategic
Resources.
[FR Doc. 2026-07980 Filed 4-22-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6450-01-P
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