Bechtel has secured a new contract to build the Woodside Louisiana LNG terminal, a $27 billion facility near Lake Charles, Louisiana. The project, previously known as Driftwood LNG, continues after Woodside Energy acquired it in October. Bechtel, which broke ground in 2022, will now develop the three-train, 16.5 million-tonnes-per-annum foundation facility.

Following Woodside’s $1.2 billion acquisition of Tellurian, the parent company behind the terminal, Bechtel signed a revised lump-sum turnkey contract for phases one and two, which together are estimated to cost $14.9 billion to $15.8 billion.

“[The Woodside Louisiana LNG project] is fully permitted, front-end engineering design is complete, and site civil works are well advanced,” said Woodside CEO Meg O’Neill.

Despite early delays due to reduced demand and the COVID-19 pandemic, construction is now moving forward. The project has secured a three-year permit extension and faces challenges, including environmental lawsuits. Once completed, it will become one of the world’s largest LNG plants, producing up to 27.6 million tonnes per annum.