Sempra's Energia Costa Azul LNG terminal set to load inaugural export cargo

Mexico is poised to begin LNG exports from its Pacific coast for the first time, with the LNG tanker Pacific Success heading towards Sempra Infrastructure's Energia Costa Azul (ECA) terminal in Baja California to load the project's inaugural cargo.

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Kpler data show the TotalEnergies-operated Pacific Success is sailing in ballast in the northeast Pacific Ocean and is expected to arrive in the vicinity of the ECA LNG terminal later today.

The project, which consists of a single liquefaction train, is jointly owned by Sempra Infrastructure and TotalEnergies. TotalEnergies holds a 16.6% equity stake and has contracted 1.7 mtpa of LNG from the facility, while Japan's Mitsui holds long-term offtake rights for 0.8 mtpa.

The expected first export comes about a month after the project began producing LNG during commissioning following mechanical completion and the introduction of first gas. Sempra had said it expected substantial completion during the summer, with commercial deliveries under long-term sales agreements to begin shortly afterwards.The startup timeline has been closely watched after Sempra delayed commercial operations from an earlier spring target to allow additional quality-related inspections to be completed.

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The expected loading follows a sharp increase in feed gas deliveries into the terminal in June, signalling that commissioning had entered its final stages. Kpler Insight subsequently forecast that ECA LNG would "likely export its first LNG cargo in early-to-mid July" after feed gas flows to the plant rose to 0.4 billion ft3 a day around mid-June and remained at that level for several days. The volumes, equivalent to roughly 3 mtpa of LNG production, indicated that a first LNG cargo from the plant was imminent. The project also began receiving gas under its long-term firm transportation agreement on the Rosarito pipeline in May, replacing earlier interruptible volumes.

Kpler Insight forecasts the project will export about 1.14 mt of LNG during 2026 as commissioning transitions into full commercial operations.

Energia Costa Azul will become Mexico's first LNG export terminal on the Pacific coast with the start of shipments, providing a direct outlet to Asian markets without requiring transit through the Panama Canal. Mexico's only operational LNG export project, Altamira Fast LNG in Tamaulipas on its Gulf coast, exports cargoes via the Atlantic Basin.

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