Caturus has locked in long-term offtake contracts for its 9.5 mtpa Commonwealth LNG project in Cameron Parish, Louisiana, clearing the path toward financing and a final investment decision. The lineup of global traders and producers backing the plant, plus a parallel upstream acquisition, frames a bold push to scale U.S. gas exports and integrated production under one platform.
Caturus confirmed long-term sale and purchase agreements that underpin the Commonwealth LNG development, a facility with a planned capacity of 9.5 million tonnes per annum. Those deals are the hinge for launching formal financing talks and moving toward a final investment decision in the coming weeks.
The offtakers named include EQT LNG Trading, Glencore, Mercuria Energy Trading, Petronas LNG and Aramco Trading Americas, a group that brings trading heft and market reach. Their commitments reduce commercial risk and make the export capacity a bankable asset for lenders and investors assessing the project.
Caturus CEO David Lawler said: “These commitments from high-quality international partners are a testament to their confidence in the Commonwealth project and our ability to deliver a facility instrumental to their needs in serving the global energy market.
“Our LNG export capability will be a key component of Caturus’ wellhead-to-water strategy in building the nation’s leading independent integrated natural gas company.” These remarks underline how the company sees Commonwealth LNG fitting into a broader play that pairs production with direct export capability.
The Commonwealth LNG development’s first phase carries an estimated $12.5 billion capital price tag and projects roughly $3.5 billion in annual export revenues once operational. The schedule anticipates start-up in 2030, with initial site work already underway to keep the timeline on track.
Construction and major equipment procurement are advancing through Caturus’ partnership with Technip Energies as EPC contractor, and purchase orders have been placed for critical hardware. Key vendors noted in the program include compressors from Baker Hughes, cryogenic heat exchangers from Honeywell and turbine-generators from Solar Turbines, signaling supply-chain commitments early in the build.
Execution is in motion with limited notices to proceed aimed at protecting schedule and budget, and subcontracts have been awarded for initial site preparation, surge wall construction and marine and materials offloading infrastructure. Those early works are essential for a coastal project that must manage storm exposure and large marine logistics.
Located on the west bank of the Calcasieu Ship Channel at the mouth of the Gulf of Mexico, Commonwealth LNG plans five storage tanks of 50,000 cubic metres each and berths capable of handling vessels up to 216,000 cubic metres. The site choice leverages deepwater access and established channel infrastructure to support regular LNG loading operations.
At the same time, Caturus is wrapping up the acquisition of SM Energy’s Galvan Ranch assets in South Texas, a transaction covering about 60,000 net acres and production from roughly 260 wells. That package produces about 250 million cubic feet equivalent per day and, when combined with existing holdings, should lift Caturus’ total net production toward one billion cubic feet equivalent per day.
Reaching that level of output would position Caturus among the top ten private U.S. gas-focused producers and strengthen its downstream export feedstock. The upstream business and Commonwealth LNG are organized under the Caturus platform established by Kimmeridge, while Mubadala Energy holds a 24.1% equity interest that supports the company’s international and capital ambitions.
