Industry officials gathered on Friday at the Port of Lake Charles to discuss how expanding liquefied natural gas export markets in Louisiana will benefit local, state and national economies.

Our Energy Moment, a group that promotes expanded LNG markets, hosted the panel discussion, which featured U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., head of the Senate Energy Committee.

Other panelists were David Conner of the Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance, Jason French of Cheniere Energy Inc., Mark Nelson of Sempra Energy and Cameron Parish Administrator Ryan Bourriaque.

Landrieu said Southwest Louisiana is at the epicenter of LNG exports and is transforming America’s energy industry to become self-sufficient. She said a tremendous amount of gas is staying in America and, with new technology, more gas will be discovered.

“We can supply not only our own people for our commercial, industrial and residential use, clean our environment and use more natural gas here, but also export it and create jobs and wealth for our country and for this region,” she said.

“With Sempra, with Cheniere and the other permits that are pending … we are excited about what can happen here along the Gulf Coast.”

Landrieu said that since the Energy Department has streamlined the export permit process, projects will move quickly.

According to an Our Energy Moment news release, LNG exports are predicted to bring in about $86 billion to the U.S. economy and create more than 2 million jobs by 2035. “More than 74,000 new jobs will be created for Louisianians,” the release reads. “Of the $86 billion … Louisiana is projected to contribute $16.2 billion.”

Nelson told the panel that Cameron Parish is known globally. He said Sempra has had about 20 site tours with Japanese media and is well-known in Tokyo.

“It’s truly remarkable what the international spotlight is in this parish,” Nelson said. “We are having foreign dollars coming into the United States. This exactly what you want. This is what commerce is about.”

French agreed, saying that Sempra and Cheniere are not competitors because they are both fighting for the same thing — to expand LNG exports to benefit the economy and create jobs.

“Our competition is Australia, Canada, nations in East Africa,” French said. “They are trying to develop their resources to reach the global demand as well.”(MGNonline)