Tellurian Energy has been identified as the previously unnamed US firm interested in entering a consortium to develop a floating LNG terminal (FSRU) in Alexandroupoli, northeastern Greece, energypress sources have informed.

Last week, Greece’s energy minister Giorgos Stathakis disclosed that a US firm, which he did not name, and BEH (Bulgarian Energy Holdings) were both negotiating their possible involment in the LNG project.

The Alexandroupoli project plan was initiated by Gastrade, a member of the Copelouzos group, before Gaslog, an international LNG carrier operator, and, most recently, DEPA, the Public Gas Corporation, also joined in.

The newly formed Tellurian Energy, founded by experienced officials, including from the ranks of Cheniere Energy, the biggest exporter of American natural gas, is now laying the groundwork for a dynamic entry into the global LNG market.

Tellurian Energy is headed by Charif Souki, who, during his previous tenure at Cheniere Energy, had represented the company in talks for that firm’s entry into the Alexandroupoli LNG venture.

Amos Hochstein, until recently a former US Special Envoy and Coordinator for International Energy Affairs, is a key member of the administration at Tellurian Energy, which he joined earlier this year.

Tellurian Energy is planning to develop an export and LNG production terminal in Louisiana. Its construction is expected to begin next year while the facility is planned to start operating in 2022.

This terminal is budgeted at between 13 and 16 billion US dollars while the development of pipeline infrastructure to link the facility with natural gas fields is budgeted at a further 1.6 to 2 billion US dollars.