Tecnimont USA, a company belonging to the MAIRE group, signed a Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) contract with Argent LNG to advance the development of its future liquefied natural gas (LNG) export facility in Port Fourchon, Louisiana. The agreement also includes technical support during the permitting process with the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The project is designed to reach a total capacity of 25 million metric tons per annum (MTPA) of LNG.
Tecnimont will define the FEED engineering for Argent LNG
Tecnimont USA’s scope of work includes project execution planning and the preparation of the engineering documentation necessary to define its configuration. It also encompasses cost and schedule estimates, safety and reliability studies, and the integration of the facility’s main technology packages. This work will allow the FEED phase to refine the project’s technical characteristics and reduce uncertainties before Argent LNG makes its Final Investment Decision (FID).
The engineering work also aims to provide greater clarity regarding the execution, costs, and financial viability of the future facility. To this end, Tecnimont will apply its expertise in developing complex industrial facilities and modular design solutions. The contract expands the cooperation between the two companies, which formally began with the agreement announced on January 21, 2026. At that time, Tecnimont was selected as the integrated engineering and technology services provider for the project.
The LNG project is progressing through the FERC process
Besides, Argent LNG the project continues to move forward within the FERC regulatory process. Available documentation identifies the project under file number PF25-11-000 and indicates that it has not yet received authorization to begin construction. The proposed facility in Lafourche Parish would have a feed gas capacity of approximately 3.45 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d). The development is planned in phases. The first phase would have a capacity of approximately 12 million tons per year, while the complete facility would reach the projected 25 million tons per annum (MTPA).
From the FEED phase to a possible EPC execution
Once the FEED engineering is complete and the FERC permitting process is finalized, the project’s progress will also depend on Argent LNG’s Final Investment Decision. After these conditions are met, development could move to an EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) phase, in which the main planned works and facilities would be built. The Port Fourchon project is designed around modular liquefaction solutions. This approach would allow for the gradual addition of capacity, in contrast to traditional schemes based on large conventional trains LNG.
Argent LNG aims to begin its first exports around 2030. Jonathan Bass, the company’s president and CEO, noted that the contract will allow them to move from planning to execution and highlighted Tecnimont’s expertise in engineering, integration, and modular solutions. Alessandro Bernini, CEO of MAIRE, indicated that the agreement represents a further step in their collaboration with Argent LNG and emphasized Tecnimont’s capabilities to participate in projects of this scale. With the awarding of the FEED contract, Argent LNG enters a crucial stage to more precisely define its technical configuration, costs, schedule, and technological integration before addressing the regulatory and financial decisions necessary for eventual construction.
Source: Group Maire
Photo: Shutterstock
