6 月 17 日，德克萨斯州下一个盐丘天然气储存项目取得了重大进展，州政府批准了该项目的建设。

德克萨斯州铁路委员会批准了在德克萨斯州福遍县建造地下天然气储存设施“自由港能源储存中心”的许可。墨西哥湾沿岸中游合作伙伴公司（GCMS）于2月份提交了申请。

第一阶段的建设将在德克萨斯州墨西哥湾沿岸地区提供约 260 亿立方英尺的储存容量，该地区靠近美国日益增长的液化天然气行业的中心。

GCMS 总裁兼首席商务官 Edmund Knolle 在社交媒体帖子中表示：“PRESH 将为德克萨斯州和东南部不断增长的天然气、液化天然气和电力市场提供关键的天然气储存、平衡和运输服务。”

盐丘储存设施目前是该公司唯一的项目。据GCMS提供的信息，两家公司已签署了具有约束力的容量协议，GCMS正在与其他公司进行谈判，以最终确定投资决定并开始开发。

该公司的第一阶段建设包括一个 35 英里长、直径 30 英寸的管道系统，该系统将与Kinder Morgan、 Enterprise Product Partners和Williams Cos 等中游公司拥有的其他主要管道相连。预计建设工期为三年。

该地区最后一个新的盐丘储存设施 Tres Palacios 于 2008 年建成。Enbridge目前拥有该设施并计划扩大其产能  。

FRESH项目并非唯一一个正在开发的绿地项目。Lotus Infrastructure Partners旗下的NeuVentus正在德克萨斯州利伯蒂县开发一个站点，目前正在为未来产能开放。该项目已于今年4月获得铁路委员会的批准。

诺尔在声明中表示，产能需求的增长源于天然气行业的持续发展。

随着燃气发电总体需求的增加，液化天然气需求持续增长。大型系统需要存储容量来快速响应市场变化。

诺尔表示：“需要显著增加地下天然气储存容量，以确保满足液化天然气和电力增长预测的可行性，并维持所有消费者（无论大小）的能源可靠性。”

Texas’ next salt dome natural gas storage project took a major step forward on June 17 with the state government approving its construction.

The Texas Railroad Commission approved a permit to build the Freeport Energy Storage Hub, an underground natural gas storage facility in Fort Bend County, Texas. Gulf Coast Midstream Partners (GCMS) filed the application in February.

The first phase of construction will provide about 26 Bcf of storage in an area along the Texas Gulf Coast, near the center of the U.S.’ growing LNG sector.

“FRESH will provide critical natural gas storage, balancing and transportation services to the growing natural gas, LNG and electricity markets in Texas and the Southeast,” said Edmund Knolle, president and chief commercial officer of GCMS in a social media post.

The salt dome storage is currently the company’s only project. Two companies have signed binding agreements for capacity, and GCMS is in negotiations with others as it works towards a final investment decision to begin development, according to information provided by GCMS.

The company’s first phase of construction includes a 35-mile, 30-inch diameter pipeline system that would connect with other major lines owned by midstream companies such as Kinder Morgan, Enterprise Product Partners and Williams Cos. Construction is expected to take three years.

The last new salt dome storage in the region, the Tres Palacios facility, was built in 2008. Enbridge currently owns the site and has plans to expand its capacity.  

The FRESH project is not the only greenfield project under development. NeuVentus, owned by Lotus Infrastructure Partners, is developing a site in Liberty County, Texas, and is currently holding an open season for future capacity. The project received Railroad Commission approval in April.

The growth in capacity demand follows the ongoing development of the natural gas sector, Knolle said in his statement.

LNG demand continues to ramp up along with greater overall demand for gas-fired power generation. The larger systems require storage capacity to react quickly to market shifts.

“Significantly more underground natural gas storage capacity is required to ensure the feasibility of serving the LNG and power growth forecasts, and still maintain energy reliability for all consumers, large and small,” Knolle said.