United States Department of Transportation
Withdrawn and Disapproved Applications
Withdrawn and Disapproved Applications
Nine applications have been withdrawn before a Record of Decision was issued: Beacon Port, Calypso, Clearwater, Compass Port, Liberty Natural Gas, OceanWay Secure Energy, Pearl Crossing, Safe Harbor, and Texas Offshore Port System.
One application was disapproved: Cabrillo Port.
Withdrawn Applications
Beacon Port (ConocoPhillips)
Link to the Federal Docket for Beacon Port (Docket Number: USCG-2005-21232)
Beacon Port, LLC filed an application on January 19, 2005. The application was initially deemed incomplete, but was later determined to be complete on May 10, 2005. The proposed LNG facility would have consisted of two Gravity Based Structures in the Gulf of Mexico, located 29 miles southeast and 56 miles southwest of Johnson’s Bayou, Louisiana.
On November 3, 2006, the applicant informed the Maritime Administration and the Coast Guard of its intention to withdraw its deepwater port license application, as it no longer had a business need for an LNG deepwater port off the coast of Texas. In response, the Maritime Administration announced in the November 9, 2006 Federal Register 71 FR 65877 that a license would not be granted as a result of the application withdrawal. This project remains closed with the Maritime Administration.
Calypso LNG (Suez LNG N.A.)
Link to the Federal Docket for Calypso LNG (Docket Number USCG-2006-26009)
Calypso LNG LLC filed an application on March 2, 2006, for a liquefied natural gas facility 12 miles off the coast of Port Everglades, Florida. The application was initially deemed incomplete, but was later revised and resubmitted for review and processing. On October 13, 2006, the Maritime Administration and the U.S. Coast Guard deemed the revised application complete.
On February 25, 2009, Calypso LNG LLC submitted a letter to the Maritime Administration to withdraw their application for the Calypso project, due to significant public interest and environmental impact concerns. The Maritime Administration, in a letter dated February 27, 2009, acknowledged Suez’s withdrawal and terminated its application for a deepwater port license. The project remains closed with the Maritime Administration.
Clearwater Port (NorthernStar Natural Gas Inc. [Formerly Crystal Energy])
Link to the Federal Docket for Clearwater Port (Docket Number USCG-2007-28676)
Clearwater Port filed an application on January 28, 2004, for a liquefied natural gas facility 12.6 miles off the coast of Ventura County, California. The proposed facility would have converted an existing off-shore oil drilling platform into a liquefied natural gas receiving terminal. Environmental analysis work continued on the application until October 2008, when Clearwater Port requested that the State of California, the Coast Guard and the Maritime Administration suspend processing activities on the joint Environmental Impact Statement and Environmental Impact Report.
On March 10, 2010, the California State Lands Commission issued a formal notice to Clearwater Port LLC indicating that the application for a General Lease-Right of Way Use Permit was terminated. Thereafter, the Maritime Administration terminated the Clearwater deepwater port license application on May 7, 2010. The Clearwater proposal remains closed with the Maritime Administration.
Compass Port (ConocoPhillips)
Link to the Federal Docket for Compass Port (Docket Number: USCG-2004-17659)
Compass Port, LLC filed a deepwater port application on March 29, 2004, which was deemed complete on May 20, 2004. The proposed Gravity Based Structure facility would have been located off the coasts of Alabama and Mississippi.
On June 8, 2006, ConocoPhillips advised the Maritime Administration of its withdrawal of the Compass Port application. The Maritime Administration, in a letter dated June 9, 2006, acknowledged ConocoPhillips’ withdrawal and terminated its application for a deepwater port license.
Liberty Natural Gas (Canadian Superior)
Link to the Federal Docket for Liberty Natural Gas (Docket Number: USCG-2010-0993)
Liberty Natural Gas filed an application on September 28, 2010, to own, construct, and operate a liquefied natural gas deepwater port, located approximately 16.2 miles off the coast of New Jersey near Asbury Park and connected via offshore pipeline to a 9.2 mile onshore pipeline. However, the Governor of New Jersey issued a letter disapproving the Liberty Natural Gas application on February 8, 2011. Liberty Natural Gas submitted an amended, deepwater port application on November 29, 2011.
On March 30, 2012, Liberty Natural Gas withdrew its deepwater port license application. Accordingly, The Maritime Administration in a letter dated April 25, 2012, accepted Liberty’s withdrawal and terminated the application and all related processing activities. To date, the project remains closed with the Maritime Administration.
Oceanway Secure Energy (Woodside Natural Gas, Inc.)
Link to the Federal Docket for Oceanway Secure Energy (Docket Number USCG-2007-26844)
Woodside Natural Gas filed an application with the Maritime Administration for a license under the Deepwater Port Act, to build, own and operate a liquefied natural gas facility on August 18, 2006. On July 30, 2007, Woodside and the Maritime Administration announced an agreement to register two vessels under the U.S. flag and to employ American officers and crews in the operation of the proposed Oceanway facility.
On January 15, 2009, Woodside officially suspended work on the Oceanway Secure Energy project and withdrew its application for a Deepwater Port License. Woodside’s decision to terminate its project was due primarily to global economic and other market conditions that would have significantly impacted the viability of the project. On January 26, 2009, the Maritime Administration acknowledged the withdrawal of Woodside’s application and thereafter, terminated all processing activities. To date, the Woodside project remains closed with the Maritime Administration.
Pearl Crossing (ExxonMobil)
Link to the Federal Docket for Pearl Crossing (Docket Number USCG-2004-18474)
Pearl Crossing filed an application on May 25, 2004, for a concrete Gravity Based Structure to be built in the Gulf of Mexico, approximately 41 miles south of Cameron, Louisiana. The application was deemed complete on July 8, 2004, and a Federal Register Notice of Application was issued on July 21, 2004.
On October 19, 2005, ExxonMobil withdrew the deepwater port license application for Pearl Crossing and terminated the project, indicating it intends to construct and operate an onshore LNG terminal. The Maritime Administration and the U.S. Coast Guard issued a Notice of Cancellation on December 8, 2005, stating that the applicant cancelled all actions related to processing the Pearl Crossing deepwater port license application. To date, the Pearl Crossing project remains closed with the Maritime Administration.
Safe Harbor Energy (Atlantic Sea Island Group LLC)
Link to the Federal Docket for Safe Harbor Energy (Docket Number: USCG-2007-28535)
On September 16, 2006, the Atlantic Sea Island Group LLC (ASIG) filed an application with the Maritime Administration and the U.S. Coast Guard for a license under the Deepwater Port Act, to construct, own and operate a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) receiving, storage and regasification deepwater port facility, known as Safe Harbor Energy. The proposed Safe Harbor Energy deepwater port would consist of a 60.5 acre manmade island to be located 13.5 miles south of the City of Long Beach, New York, and 19 miles east of Highlands, New Jersey.
On June 29, 2010, ASIG advised the Maritime Administration and U.S. Coast Guard of their intention to cancel work on the Safe Harbor Energy project for an indefinite period of time. By letter dated July 23, 2010, the Maritime Administration and U.S. Coast Guard acknowledged withdrawal of ASIG’s Safe Harbor Energy deepwater port license application and thereafter, terminated all Federal processing activities. To date, the project remains closed with the Maritime Administration.
Texas Offshore Port System
Link to the Federal Docket for the Texas Offshore Port System (Docket Number: USCG-2008-1239)
On December 8, 2008, the Texas Offshore Port System partnership filed an application with the Maritime Administration and the U.S. Coast Guard seeking approval to build, own, and operate a crude oil deepwater port facility 30 miles off the coast of Texas in the Gulf of Mexico. On January 5, 2009, the application was deemed complete and four days later, on January 9, 2009, a Notice of Application was published in the Federal Register.
On April 12, 2010, the applicant submitted a letter to the Maritime Administration to withdraw its application, due to its inability to secure necessary financing. The Maritime Administration, in a letter dated May 5, 2010, acknowledged Texas Offshore Port System’s withdrawal, and thereafter, terminated the application and all processing activities. This project remains closed with the Maritime Administration.
Disapproved Application
Cabrillo Port (BHP Billiton LNG International)
Link to the Federal Docket for Cabrillo Port (Docket Number: USCG-2004-16877)
Cabrillo Port filed an application on September 3, 2003, for a proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) gravity based structure site to be located 14 miles off the coast of Ventura County, California. The initial application was determined to be complete on January 27, 2004.
By letter dated May 18, 2007, the Governor of California indicated his disapproval of the project, citing concerns that the project as proposed would result in significant and unmitigated environmental impacts to air quality and marine life. Consequently, a Record of Decision disapproving the project was issued on June 5, 2007, by the Maritime Administration. The Cabrillo Port project remains closed with the Maritime Administration.