Fatal explosion rocks Louisiana natural gas pipeline

Explosion at offshore natural gas pipeline in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana kills one man, local police reportedadding that the fire was still burning at the scene.

The explosion was reported to Plaquemines Parish Police Saturday evening, and one person was reported missing at the scene.

“For reasons still under investigation, an explosion and fire occurred while Nichols was believed to be working on the pipeline,” police said in a Facebook post. “Nichols died as a result, and with the assistance of the Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office, his body was recovered at the scene of the incident. No other people were injured.”

“The pipelines have been blocked and one remains on fire, burning the remaining natural gas in the pipeline. Air monitoring readings have been taken and there is no threat to the public. This incident remains under investigation,” authorities said.

Plaquemines Parish is home to Plaquemines LNG, a project of the Venture Globalwhich is currently building another LNG facility in the area, Calcasieu Pass LNG, which will have an annual capacity of 10 million tons of liquefied gas. Plaquemines LNG will have an annual capacity of up to 20 million tons, according to plans.

The project received the final investment decision in 2022 and in July of this year the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission he gave Venture Global to start pumping gas into the system. The first phase of Plaquemines LNG will have a capacity of 13.3 million tons of liquefied natural gas annually.

Buyers of the gas include Poland’s state energy company Orlen, China’s Sinopec and CNOOC, as well as Shell and France’s EDF. Venture Global has also secured buyers for the second phase of the project, including Exxon, Chevron, Germany’s EnBW, Malaysia’s Petronas and China Gas.

Gas deliveries from the Plaquemines LNG facility were scheduled to begin in mid-2024.

By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com

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