The MapleLNG liquefied natural gas project in Goldboro, Nova Scotia, on Wednesday received approval for a Permit to Construct from the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board (UARB).
The Permit is another step forward for the project that has also received environmental approvals from the federal and provincial governments.
With the UARB permit and environmental approvals in place, the MapleLNG
project will move into the next phase of development which involves technical
and commercial aspects, project sanction and onsite construction.
MapleLNG also continues to address conditions attached to its provincial
environmental approval. The conditions are expected to be completed within the
next number of weeks.
The liquefied natural gas terminal was purchased by 4Gas and Suntera from
Keltic Petrochemicals in March 2006. The Nova Scotia project is one of five
terminals that 4Gas, MapleLNG's majority shareholder, is developing to create
a strong international presence with a global reach into continental Europe,
Asia and North America.
The MapleLNG terminal has a strategic advantage in the international LNG
marketplace where suppliers seek access to multiple markets including the
premium value natural gas markets in Canada and the United States. Goldboro
offers an attractive location as the closest point in North America for LNG
delivery from the majority of international suppliers.
MapleLNG will construct and operate the LNG importation and
regasification facility. The terminal will be located adjacent to the
Maritimes and Northeast Pipeline intake station at the Sable Offshore Energy
Gas Plant in Goldboro. The terminal location will enable MapleLNG to serve the
substantial Canadian and U.S. natural gas markets beginning 2011 through a
pipeline transmission system that transports natural gas from Nova Scotia to
markets in Canada and the North Eastern United States. MapleLNG is
investigating several other options to add further opportunities for
transportation of gas from the terminal to market.
MapleLNG is a Nova Scotia company and the Canadian subsidiary of 4Gas and
Suntera. 4Gas is an independent company located in Rotterdam, solely dedicated
to developing and operating liquefied natural gas import terminals around the
world. 4Gas projects include Dragon LNG in Milford Haven, Wales; the LionGas
project in Rotterdam, The Netherlands; the Pegaz LNG project near Bordeaux,
France; the MapleLNG project in Nova Scotia, Canada; and the Vista del Sol
project near Corpus Christi, Texas, USA Suntera is an international energy
company with oil and gas assets in West Africa, North America and India. In
March 2006, 4Gas and Suntera Canada Ltd. purchased the MapleLNG project,
located at Goldboro, Nova Scotia.