[Federal Register Volume 87, Number 143 (Wednesday, July 27, 2022)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45095-45096]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2022-16120]


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DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

[Docket No. CP15-490-000]


Delfin LNG LLC; Notice of Request for Extension of Time

    Take notice that on July 15, 2022, Delfin LNG LLC (Delfin) 
requested that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (Commission) 
grant an extension of time (2022 Extension of Time Request), until 
September 28, 2023, to construct and place into service the facilities 
that were authorized in the original certificate authorization issued 
on September 28, 2017 (Certificate Order).\1\ The Certificate Order 
authorized certain ``onshore facilities'' that would be used 
exclusively to transport natural gas to Delfin's deepwater port 
``offshore facilities'' (collectively, the Project) in federal waters 
offshore Louisiana. The onshore facilities would be used to meet the 
requirements of the customers of the offshore facilities. The 
Commission subsequently has granted three, successive one-year 
extensions of this in-service timing condition, with the result that 
the facilities currently are required to be made available for service 
by September 28, 2022.\2\
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    \1\ Delfin LNG LLC, 160 FERC ] 61,130 (2017).
    \2\ Delfin LNG LLC, Docket No. CP15-490-000 (July 8, 2019) 
(delegated order) (July 2019 Extension Order)., Delfin LNG LLC, 
Docket No. CP15-490-000 (July 15, 2020) (delegated order) (July 2020 
Extension Order)., Delfin LNG LLC, Docket No. CP15-490-000 (June 30, 
2021) (delegated order) (July 21 Extension Order).
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    In its 2022 Extension of Time Request, Delfin states that it has 
made significant progress in developing the Project. Delfin asserts 
that the market for LNG is strong with the current geopolitical 
importance of the Ukraine invasion and the initiative of the European 
Union to increase deliveries of U.S LNG to Europe. Additionally, Delfin 
states that the Project remains commercially viable with a binding LNG 
sale and purchase agreement with Vitol Spa for 0.5 million metric 
tonnes per annum (mtpa) of LNG delivered free on-board at the Delfin 
LNG deepwater port, for 15 years. Moreover, Delphin explains that it 
has continued to work to develop the Project by completing the Front 
End Engineering and Design for the construction of the Floating LNG 
vessels (FLNGV). Delfin states the project consists of 4 separates 
floating FLNGV, and only requires 2.0 to 2.5 mtpa of LNG for the long-
term off-take contracts to support a final investment (FID) and begin 
construction of the first FLNGV. Moreover, Delfin affirms that FID for 
the first FLNGV is on schedule for the end of the year. Accordingly, 
Delfin requests an extension of time until September 28, 2023 to 
complete construction of the onshore facilities and place them into 
service.
    This notice establishes a 15-calendar day intervention and comment 
period deadline. Any person wishing to comment on Delfin's request for 
an extension of time may do so. No reply

[[Page 45096]]

comments or answers will be considered. If you wish to obtain legal 
status by becoming a party to the proceedings for this request, you 
should, on or before the comment date stated below, file a motion to 
intervene in accordance with the requirements of the Commission's Rules 
of Practice and Procedure (18 CFR 385.214 or 385.211) and the 
Regulations under the Natural Gas Act (18 CFR 157.10).
    As a matter of practice, the Commission itself generally acts on 
requests for extensions of time to complete construction for Natural 
Gas Act facilities when such requests are contested before order 
issuance. For those extension requests that are contested,\3\ the 
Commission will aim to issue an order acting on the request within 45 
days.\4\ The Commission will address all arguments relating to whether 
the applicant has demonstrated there is good cause to grant the 
extension.\5\ The Commission will not consider arguments that re-
litigate the issuance of the certificate order, including whether the 
Commission properly found the project to be in the public convenience 
and necessity and whether the Commission's environmental analysis for 
the certificate complied with the National Environmental Policy Act.\6\ 
At the time a pipeline requests an extension of time, orders on 
certificates of public convenience and necessity are final and the 
Commission will not re-litigate their issuance.\7\ The OEP Director, or 
his or her designee, will act on all of those extension requests that 
are uncontested.
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    \3\ Contested proceedings are those where an intervenor disputes 
any material issue of the filing. 18 CFR 385.2201(c)(1) (2019).
    \4\ Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC, 170 FERC ] 61,144, at P 40 
(2020).
    \5\ Id. at P 40.
    \6\ Similarly, the Commission will not re-litigate the issuance 
of an NGA section 3 authorization, including whether a proposed 
project is not inconsistent with the public interest and whether the 
Commission's environmental analysis for the permit order complied 
with NEPA.
    \7\ Algonquin Gas Transmission, LLC, 170 FERC ] 61,144, at P 40 
(2020).
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    In addition to publishing the full text of this document in the 
Federal Register, The Commission provides all interested persons an 
opportunity to view and/or print the contents of this document via the 
internet through the Commission's Home Page (http://www.ferc.gov) using 
the ``eLibrary'' link. Enter the docket number excluding the last three 
digits in the docket number field to access the document. At this time, 
the Commission has suspended access to Commission's Public Reference 
Room, due to the proclamation declaring a National Emergency concerning 
the Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), issued by the President on 
March 13, 2020. For assistance, contact FERC at 
[email protected] or call toll-free, (886) 208-3676 or TYY, 
(202) 502-8659.
    The Commission strongly encourages electronic filings of comments, 
protests and interventions in lieu of paper using the ``eFiling'' link 
at http://www.ferc.gov. Persons unable to file electronically should 
submit an original and three copies of the protest or intervention to 
the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, 888 First Street NE, 
Washington, DC 20426.
    Comment Date: 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on, August 5, 2022.

    Dated: July 21, 2022.
Debbie-Anne A. Reese,
Deputy Secretary.
[FR Doc. 2022-16120 Filed 7-26-22; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 6717-01-P


