Sempra started the FERC pre-filing process in August 2026 for a brownfield expansion of its Port Arthur LNG North terminal. The project would add four new liquefaction trains, Train 5 through Train 8, with combined capacity of 27 million tonnes a year.
We previously reported that Sempra began permitting for the Port Arthur LNG North expansion.
Pre-filing is the stage in the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's review where a company lays out project details for the agency and the public before submitting a formal application. Sempra expects to file that formal application in July 2027, with environmental review set for March 2028 and a FERC permit decision expected in July 2028.
What the expansion adds
Alongside the four trains, the project includes three new LNG storage tanks, numbered storage tanks 3, 4, and 5, and two new marine berths, marine berths 3 and 4. It is a brownfield project, built on the existing Port Arthur LNG site rather than a new location.
The expansion needs no new feedgas pipeline. Gas for the new trains will move through Sempra's existing Texas Connector Pipeline.
Regulatory and construction timeline
| Step | Timing |
|---|---|
| Pre-filing | August 2026 |
| Formal FERC application | July 2027 |
| Environmental review | March 2028 |
| FERC permit decision | July 2028 |
| Construction start, if approved | Second half of 2029 |
Startup schedule
If FERC approves the project, construction is expected to start in the second half of 2029. Commercial operations would begin on different dates for each train: Train 5 in the second half of 2034, Train 6 in the first half of 2035, Train 7 in the second half of 2035, and Train 8 in the first half of 2036.
