Argent LNG, LLC signed a FEED (Front-End Engineering Design) contract on September 28, 2026 with Tecnimont USA Inc., part of the MAIRE group, for its Louisiana LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) export facility, according to reports. The facility has a capacity of 25 mtpa (million tonnes per annum), with first cargo targeted for 2030. The contract value has not been disclosed.
The FEED scope is reported to cover the project execution plan, schedule and cost estimation, safety reviews and technology package integration. Tecnimont is also said to provide technical support for the permitting process with the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC). The project is expected to move to the EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) phase after FERC authorization and a Final Investment Decision (FID). The two companies’ cooperation agreement was announced in January 2026.
Facility capacity is 25 mtpa, with first cargo targeted for 2030. The FEED contract was signed on September 28, 2026. The contract value has not been disclosed or confirmed.
The January 2026 cooperation agreement has now materialized into a FEED contract, moving the project to its next stage toward permitting and an FID.
FEED is generally regarded as the stage that reduces cost and schedule uncertainty ahead of an EPC contract and underpins subsequent financing and investment decisions. A 25 mtpa export facility entering FEED indicates that the pipeline of U.S. Gulf Coast LNG export candidates remains deep. Having the FEED contractor also support permitting reflects an approach of running permitting and design in parallel to compress the schedule. Because the project is still before FID, actual construction depends on permitting, long-term offtake contracts and financing.
The first point to watch is when FERC authorization is granted. Whether long-term LNG sales agreements and financing are secured to reach an FID is also worth following. After FID, attention will turn to EPC contractor selection and whether the 2030 first-cargo target holds.