US got secret ALNG info

According to a cable classed as top secret, but published on the Wikileaks website this month, Clinton included TT’s natural gas facility on a series of world-wide infrastructure assets that needed to be included on the Critical Foreign Dependencies Initiative (CFDI) list.

Altlantic LNG’s facilities had been included on the CFDI list for 2008, and a request was made for updating of information on the natural gas facilities with a view to re-inclusion or removal contingent on re-assessment.

In a cable sent on February 18, 2009, Clinton said that the State Department “is surveying posts for their input on critical infrastructure and key resources within their host country which, if destroyed, disrupted or exploited, would likely have an immediate and deleterious effect on the United States.”

“We expect posts, after consultation among all sections and agencies, will in many instances recognise whether such CI/KR (critical infrastructure and key resources) exist in their host country,” she said. Clinton added, “posts are not/not being asked to consult with host governments with respect to this request.”She continued, “building upon the initial survey completed in 2008, Department requests each post reassess and update information about infrastructure and resources in each host country whose loss could immediately affect the public health, economic security and/or national and homeland security of the United States.”

Two key assets were included in the 2008 for which updated information was requested in a list sent attached to the cable. The are: the Atlantic LNG which the cable noted “provides 70 per cent of US natural gas import needs” and the Americas II undersea telecommunications cable which lands at Chaguaramas.

The Atlantic LNG comprises three separate companies owned by subsidiaries of BP plc, BG Group, Repsol YPF, GDF Suez, and The National Gas Company of Trinidad and Tobago Limited Atlantic is one of the world’s largest producers of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG). It is a four-train natural gas liquefaction facility located at Point Fortin in Trinidad. Each train is owned by a group of private investors in its own holding company.

Atlantic LNG manages the four trains on behalf of the train holding companies. Combined, the four trains are capable of producing up to 100,000 cubic metres of LNG per day. This is enough energy to power the entire US for 1.4 months, according to the company.