National Energy Board grants export licence to Bear Head LNG

WEST PERTH, Australia -- The Directors of Liquefied Natural Gas Ltd. have announced that Canada's National Energy Board (NEB) has granted Bear Head LNG Corporation and Bear Head LNG (U.S.) authorization to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Bear Head LNG's project site on the Strait of Canso in Nova Scotia.

The NEB licencing decision approves Bear Head LNG's application for authority to export up to 8 mtpa of LNG from Canada starting in 2019 with expanded authority to increase production to 12 mtpa in 2024. The export licence extends for a period of 25 years from the date of first LNG export.

Bear Head was also granted a licence to import 800 MMcfgd from the U.S., an amount adequate to produce the authorized annual LNG exports. As with all other LNG projects, the NEB's export licence decisions are subject to approval by Canada's Governor in Council.

John Godbold, Bear Head Project Director, said, "The favorable NEB decision continues the steady progress being made toward complete regulatory clearance for the project."

In July 2015, the U.S. Department of Energy granted Bear Head LNG export authorization to free trade agreement countries. In May 2015, Bear Head received the last of 10 initial Canadian federal, provincial and local regulatory approvals needed to construct the proposed facility.