Commonwealth banks on modular approach

US developer aims to beat any Gulf Coast labour crunch through offshoring

Prospective US exporter Commonwealth LNG sealed two SPAs in September with Australia’s Woodside. The first is for 2mn t/yr for 20 years from Q2 2026, albeit with the option to reduce volumes should the seller find other offtakers. The second gives Woodside an option to purchase an additional 0.5mn t/yr. Just four days later, the project received its final environmental impact statement (EIS) from US energy regulator Ferc. The Woodside deals take Commonwealth a quarter of the way or more to the 8mn t/yr that it needs to take FID, which is targeted at somewhere around the middle of next year, and further deals are on the horizon over the next six months. Perhaps unsurprisingly, CEO Paul Varell