Joint Letter Also Asks Mexico to Examine Potential of Importing Western U.S. Gas
Denver, CO – Ahead of President Trump’s meeting with Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador at the White House this week for talks on multiple issues related to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, members of the Western States and Tribal Nations Natural Gas Initiative (WSTN) released a letter to Mexico’s Energy Minister Nahle to express support for the 20 Year Export Permit Application for the Sempra LNG and IEnova’s Energía Costa Azul LNG project in Baja California, Mexico.
The letter, signed by Utah Governor Gary Herbert, Wyoming Governor Mark Gordon, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham, and Ute Indian Tribe Chairman Luke Duncan, highlights how natural gas from the western U.S. could be utilized in Mexico’s energy market and exported to Asian markets.
“Given that one of the most promising LNG export facilities on the Pacific Coast primed for Asian LNG exports is proposed for Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico, WSTN members believe that now is the time to for us to work with Mexico’s Energy Minister Nahle to discuss areas of collaboration that would mutually benefit both the energy industries and economies of the U.S. western states and tribal nations and Mexico,” said Andrew Browning of Western States and Tribal Nations.
Sempra recently announced it will make a final investment decision on the Costa Azul project, for which it has two 20-year commitments from buyers, once the export permit from Mexico is secured. The project, run by Sempra and its Mexican subsidiary IEnova, will add liquefaction capabilities to the existing LNG regasification terminal. The first phase could handle 2.4 million metric tons per annum.
The WSTN is a collaborative effort between multiple stakeholders to develop markets for natural gas resources from the western U.S. states and tribal lands of Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, and New Mexico. The State of Baja California, Mexico is an MOU signatory and standing member of WSTN.
WSTN advocates for rural economic development, tribal self-determination and a cleaner environment by supporting exports of natural gas produced in western North America to Asian markets that currently use higher-emitting fuel sources to power their economies.
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About Western States and Tribal Nations
Western States and Tribal Nations is a unique, trans-national initiative led by sovereign tribal nations, states and counties focused on creating rural economic development, advancing tribal self-determination and a reducing global emissions through the export of clean natural gas from western North American basins to international markets.
Contact
Kristin Marcell
P: 703-969-1507
kmarcell@hbwresources.com