First US LNG base load trade from Algeria, the Cove Point Operation

The Algeria 1 LNG project, by far the largest LNG-import project in the world, has proved a beneficial source of energy for the Atlantic Coast states, owing to extensive crew training, good terminal-operating procedures, and US Coast Guard monitoring procedures. Participating in the project with El Paso Marine Co. are Columbia LNG Corp. and Consolidated System LNG Co., which receive about two-thirds of the shipments at Cover Point, Md., and Southern Energy Co., which receives the balance at Elba Island, Ga. The Algeria 1 ship fleet consists of nine 125,000 cu m vessels each carrying the equivalent of 2.6 billion cu ft of natural gas; together, they make about 142 round-trips per year; each takes 20 days, including a 24 hr turnaround.