CEO Seeking to Build Philadelphia LNG Terminal Meets with White House

The CEO of a company seeking to build a liquefied natural gas terminal near Philadelphia told Reuters on Wednesday he met officials at the White House this week to "provide intelligence" about the project in the works for years despite local opposition.

Penn America Energy Holdings wants to export 7.2 million tons a year of LNG from a site near Philadelphia to markets in Europe and Asia. Franc James, the CEO, said he had a meeting at the White House on Tuesday and that the company is considering several locations other than the original site in Chester, Pennsylvania.

A source close to the talks also said James met with White House personnel. The White House said it does not confirm private meetings.

The Philadelphia region, once an oil refining center, has seen plants shutter in recent decades as the industry concentrated along the Gulf Coast. Local and state officials for years have sought to leverage the abundance of natural gas in western Pennsylvania, but building new infrastructure in the densely populated eastern part has been met with local opposition.

Trump has vowed to open new gas pipelines and boost the LNG industry. His support for the project could also pitch a fight in a battleground state with Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro, up for reelection next year.

James said he had worked with Trump during his first term when the project was "in the fetal stages" but the company put the plans on hold when former President Joe Biden paused approvals of LNG exports in early 2024 to study economic and environmental impacts of the booming business.

"Developing a project in the Northeast is quite different than the Gulf Coast, Louisiana and Texas, so it requires a great deal of support, not only politically in the state, but also with communities ... in terms of pipeline transmission as well as ... along the Delaware River."

Nearby sites in Trainer, Marcus Hook and Eddystone are also being considered, James said.

The project has support from U.S. Senator Dave McCormick, a Republican from Pennsylvania. Senator John Fetterman, a Democrat, has not yet taken a public position on the project. It would need federal, state and local permits.

Analysts said it has an uphill battle, especially to get LNG on the water by 2030, which James said is a target.

Alex Munton, director of global gas and LNG research at consulting firm Rapidan Energy Group, said the proposal has faced significant objections from local opponents. "It requires a lot of time and money, and therefore political support alone is not enough," Munton said.

Ira Joseph, an LNG market expert and senior researcher at Columbia University, agreed. "When you compare it to the opportunities out there for other LNG projects it's not high on the list in terms of probability."

(Reuters/Reporting by Timothy Gardner, Jarrett Renshaw and Curtis Williams; Editing by David Gregorio)