New Fortress Energy, a U.S.-based energy company, has revealed its expectations of producing the first liquefied natural gas (LNG) at the Altamira export plant in Mexico before the conclusion of the current year. This development marks a significant milestone for Mexico, as it will be the country's inaugural LNG export facility.

The announcement, included in the company's third-quarter earnings release, highlighted that the LNG would originate from the initial Fast LNG (FLNG) liquefaction train, capable of converting approximately 0.18 billion cubic feet per day of natural gas into roughly 1.4 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of LNG.

New Fortress indicated that the gas supply for the first train would be sourced from the Sur de Texas-Tuxpan pipeline originating from Texas. While the company did not provide a timeline for the proposed Fast LNG Trains 2-5, it previously estimated that Trains 2 and 3, with an anticipated cost of around $900 million each, could potentially be installed onshore at Altamira as early as the second half of 2024.

Despite the termination of the Lakach deal between Mexican state energy company Pemex and New Fortress, the company remains focused on the progress of the Altamira export plant. Meanwhile, other companies are also engaged in the development of LNG export facilities in Mexico, although no final investment decisions have been made for these projects as of yet.

In addition to New Fortress' endeavors, Sempra Energy and its partners are constructing the Costa Azul LNG export plant in Mexico, projected to commence LNG production by mid-2025. This roughly $2 billion initiative signifies the growing presence of LNG export infrastructure in Mexico, contributing to the region's energy landscape and potential export capabilities.