Marathon subsidiary wins permit for LNG storage facility in Mexico

May 14, 2003 12:00 PM

Gas Natural Baja California S de RL de CV, a subsidiary of Marathon Oil Corp, Houston TX, has been awarded a gas-storage permit for the construction and operation of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage facility to be located near Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico, according to Marathon information. Currently, a Marathon-led consortium is proceeding with additional regulatory reviews and permits as required by federal and local authorities in Mexico. The current permit gives Marathon and its partners, Grupo GGS SA de CV and Golar LNG Limited, the necessary federal approval to offload LNG, and to regasify LNG at the proposed complex to supply natural gas to regional markets.

The Marathon project is part of the proposed Tijuana Regional Energy Center, an integrated complex that will consist of an LNG offloading terminal and a 750-million-cubic-feet per day regasification plant, a 1,200-megawatt power generation plant to supply regional electricity needs, a 20-million-gallon-per-day seawater desalination plant to provide fresh water for the city of Tijuana, wastewater treatment facilities to augment existing processing capacity of the San Antonio de los Buenos treatment plant, and related natural gas pipeline infrastructure. Assuming regulatory approvals and execution of successful commercial and financing plans, construction of the Tijuana Regional Energy Center would begin in late 2003, with start up expected in 2006.