Historical Overview

Mitsui & Co. has a significant global LNG portfolio and strong relationships with major LNG buyers spanning more than 40 years and holds equity interests in LNG production facilities that operate in eight countries. LNG/natural gas is the core business of the Mitsui & Co. Energy Business Unit.

Since participating in the Abu Dhabi LNG project in the 1970s, Mitsui & Co. has become widely involved across the entire LNG value chain, from LNG production to transportation and marketing. Mitsui & Co. participates in LNG development projects throughout the world, in the United States, Australia, Qatar, Abu Dhabi, Oman, Russia, Indonesia, and Mozambique.

As a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mitsui & Co., MEMS is involved in various activities across the LNG value chain from natural gas supply to liquefaction and shipments of LNG originating from the Cameron LNG project. Our primary activities include the development of LNG/natural gas projects, origination, and marketing of LNG, and supporting Mitsui’s global LNG marketing, trading, and shipping operations in Houston in coordination with offices in Tokyo, Singapore, and London.

Cameron LNG

The Cameron Terminal in Louisiana, initially constructed as an LNG import terminal, opened for business in July 2009. However, San Diego-based Sempra, the plant’s owner, quickly realized that there was more opportunity in exporting than importing LNG. In May 2013, Sempra teamed up with Mitsui & Co. and two other companies to add liquefaction facilities to the existing receiving terminal to provide an export capability.

On May 14, 2019, production began at the first liquefaction train of the Cameron LNG project, and with the completion of train three, on August 10, 2020, full commercial operations were achieved. MEMS is engaging in the project in two different aspects: the construction and operation of liquefaction facilities (Natural Gas Liquefaction Business) and the sourcing of feed gas from the North American gas market and marketing of produced LNG (LNG Marketing Business).

Natural gas liquefaction business is to develop and operate liquefaction facilities with an export capability of twelve million tonnes per annum (MTPA) (four MTPA times three trains) at the site of the Cameron LNG. Mitsui & Co. acquired a 16.6 percent equity interest in Cameron LNG Holdings LLC, Cameron LNG's holding company, in 2014.

LNG marketing business is to procure natural gas from the North American market, supply it to Cameron LNG and sell LNG produced by Cameron LNG to Japan and other markets, based on four MTPA of Cameron LNG tolling capacity for the full twenty years that Mitsui & Co. has secured.