Monkey Island LNG, formerly SCT&E LNG, is preparing to start the federal permitting process for its Cameron Parish project — one of 10 liquefied natural gas export terminals being developed in Southwest Louisiana.

The California-based company recently hired global engineering firm AECOM to guide it through the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission prefiling stage and application, a review process that each LNG project is required to complete. AECOM previously completed a preliminary environmental study of the project.

Company CEO Greg Michaels said the new agreement with AECOM doesn’t signal a break with Technip, which the company hired for engineering services in 2016. Michaels said AECOM will guide the permitting process while working closely with Technip on the engineering components of the facility.

The project is planned for Monkey Island in Cameron Parish, about two miles from the Gulf of Mexico. Michaels said the company decided in March to change its title to Monkey Island LNG because people responded well to the unique name of its location.

The company has received Department of Energy approval to export LNG to free-trade agreement countries and is awaiting DOE approval for non-FTA countries. Michaels said it’s in the process of negotiating agreements with buyers.

When asked what sets Monkey Island apart from other projects, Michaels said it’s the location, which requires little to no dredging and has ready access to existing infrastructure. It plans to start operating in the early 2020s