Key facts
- TotalEnergies and Sempra Infrastructure have begun LNG production at their ECA LNG Phase 1 project in Ensenada, Mexico.
- The facility has a liquefaction capacity of 3.25 million tonnes per annum.
- The project aims to supply U.S. natural gas to Asian markets via shorter Pacific routes.
- The first LNG cargo has been shipped to Asia.
- Commercial operations are expected to commence in the coming months after substantial completion targeted for summer 2026.
French energy company TotalEnergies has shipped the first liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargo from a new Mexican export facility to Asia. The ECA LNG Phase 1 project, located in Ensenada on Mexico's Pacific Coast, is a joint venture with Sempra Infrastructure. This development is seen as a strategic move to provide an alternative supply route, particularly for Asian markets seeking to bypass chokepoints like the Strait of Hormuz, especially following energy disruptions related to the Iran war.
The ECA LNG Phase 1 project features a single liquefaction train with a nameplate capacity of 3.25 million tonnes per annum. The facility is designed to leverage its Pacific Coast location to offer shorter shipping routes for U.S. natural gas to Asia and other Pacific Basin markets, aiming to reduce transit times and transportation costs. Justin Bird, CEO of Sempra Infrastructure, highlighted the achievement as a significant milestone towards full operations, expected in the coming months. The project is supported by long-term offtake agreements with TotalEnergies and Mitsui & Co. Substantial completion is anticipated in the summer of 2026, with commercial operations and deliveries to commence shortly thereafter. A second phase of development is also underway at the same site.