Goldboro LNG export facility receives environmental assessment approval

HALIFAX, March 21, 2014 /CNW/ - Pieridae Energy (Canada) Ltd. ("Pieridae") is pleased to announce that the Honourable Randy Delorey, Minister of Environment for the Province of Nova Scotia, has issued environmental assessment (EA) approval, with conditions, for company's proposed Goldboro LNG project.

Goldboro LNG consists of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) processing plant and facilities for the storage and export of LNG, including a marine jetty.

In a letter to Pieridae, Minister Delorey stated, "Following review of the information provided by Pieridae Energy (Canada) Ltd., and from the comments received from agencies and persons that participated in this environmental assessment review, including recommendations from the Environmental Assessment Review Panel, I have approved the above project with conditions in accordance with Section 40 of the Environment Act, S.N.S., 1994-95 and subsection 26(1) of the Environmental Assessment Regulations, N.S. Reg. 348/2008, made under the Act."

An environmental assessment review panel appointed by the Minister of Environment conducted a Class Two Environmental Assessment, the province's most rigorous form of review. The Minister of Environment accepted the panel's recommendation to approve Goldboro LNG, with certain conditions.

"We are very pleased to receive environmental assessment approval, which is an important milestone toward development of Goldboro LNG, the east coast of Canada's LNG export facility," said Alfred Sorensen, president and CEO, Pieridae. "We will continue to work closely with Nova Scotia Environment, local residents, First Nations communities and other stakeholders as we advance the project."

The EA approval for Goldboro LNG includes conditions, several of which reflect Pieridae's commitments made through the environmental assessment process. The  conditions include development of management plans related to air emissions, greenhouse gas and wetlands, establishment of a fisheries advisory committee, continued operation of a community liaison committee, and carrying out of additional studies, reports, monitoring and plans that were identified in the environmental assessment report and information request responses.

 "With EA approval, we will now focus on Front End Engineering and Design (FEED)," said Mark Brown, director of project development, Pieridae. "Throughout spring and summer 2014, we will be on-site in Goldboro, NS to carry out a number of studies that will assist with understanding project specific requirements."

Goldboro LNG will produce up to 10 million metric tonnes per annum (MTPA) of LNG per year and will have on-site storage capacity of 690,000 cubic metres of LNG.

Pieridae is in advanced discussions with several natural gas producers, pipeline operators and LNG customers. In June 2013, Pieridae entered into a 20-year sales agreement with E.ON Global Commodities SE, a subsidiary of one of the world's largest investor-owned power and gas companies, to deliver approximately 5 MTPA of LNG from Goldboro LNG to E.ON.

The company has submitted an application to the National Energy Board (NEB) to import up to 1.0 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) of natural gas through the existing pipeline systems between Canada and the United States, and export up to 1.4 Bcf/d of natural gas, as LNG, from Goldboro, NS, to international markets.

Pieridae anticipates that, at its peak, the Goldboro LNG terminal will create up to 3,500 jobs during construction and 200 full-time, permanent jobs during operations. Current estimates value the capital expenditures of the project at US $8.3 billion.

Pieridae will make their final investment decision in 2015 and, if they decide to proceed, Goldboro LNG will be operational in 2020.

About Pieridae Energy

Pieridae Energy is an energy infrastructure development company focused on LNG  opportunities. Founded in 2011, the company is developing a fully integrated LNG infrastructure business. Pieridae is currently developing Goldboro LNG, www.GoldboroLNG.com, a proposed export LNG terminal located in Goldboro, Nova Scotia, Canada.

SOURCE: Pieridae Energy Canada

Sean Lewis, NATIONAL Public Relations, Tel: [phone], Email: [email protected]