HOUSTON, April 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Cheniere Energy Partners, L.P. ("Cheniere Partners") (NYSE Amex: CQP) announced today that it has engaged eight financial institutions to act as Joint Lead Arrangers ("Arrangers") to assist in the structuring and arranging of up to $4 billion of debt facilities.  The proceeds will be used to pay for costs of development and construction of the liquefaction project at the Sabine Pass LNG terminal, to fund the acquisition of the Creole Trail Pipeline from Cheniere Energy, Inc. and for general business purposes.  As previously disclosed, estimated capital costs before financing for the first two trains of the liquefaction project of $4.5 billion to $5.0 billion are expected to be funded from a combination of debt and equity financings. 

The eight Arrangers are The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd., Credit Agricole Corporate and Investment Bank, Credit Suisse Securities (USA) LLC, HSBC, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Morgan Stanley, RBC Capital Markets, and SG Americas Securities, LLC.

"Obtaining financing is one of the last steps to complete before proceeding with the construction of the first two liquefaction trains being developed at the Sabine Pass LNG terminal," said Charif Souki, Chairman and CEO.  "We have engaged an experienced group of financial institutions as our core banking group and look forward to completing the financing for the project in due course."

Commencement of construction for the first two liquefaction trains is subject to, among other things, Sabine Liquefaction reaching a positive final investment decision, obtaining financing and receiving all necessary regulatory approvals.

Cheniere Partners owns 100 percent of the Sabine Pass LNG receiving terminal located on the Sabine Pass Channel in western Cameron Parish, Louisiana.  The Sabine Pass terminal has regasification and send-out capacity of 4.0 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) and storage capacity of 16.9 billion cubic feet equivalent (Bcfe).  Cheniere Partners is developing a project to add liquefaction and export capabilities to the existing infrastructure at the Sabine Pass LNG terminal. As currently contemplated, the liquefaction project is being designed and permitted for up to four modular LNG trains, each with a nominal capacity of approximately 4.5 mtpa.  The liquefaction project is expected to be constructed with each LNG train commencing operations approximately six to nine months after the previous train.  In November 2011, Sabine Liquefaction entered into a lump sum turnkey contract for the engineering, procurement and construction of the first two trains of the project with Bechtel Oil, Gas and Chemicals, Inc.  Sabine Liquefaction has also entered into four long-term customer sale and purchase agreements ("SPAs") for 16.0 mtpa of LNG volumes, which represents approximately 89 percent of the nominal LNG volumes.  The customers include BG Gulf Coast LNG, LLC ("BG") for 5.5 mtpa, Gas Natural Fenosa for 3.5 mtpa, KOGAS for 3.5 mtpa and GAIL (India) Ltd. for 3.5 mtpa.  The BG SPA commences with the start of train one operations and the Gas Natural Fenosa SPA commences with the start of train two operations.  Commencement of construction for the first two trains is subject, but not limited to, regulatory approvals and Cheniere Partners making a final investment decision.  The KOGAS SPA commences with the start of train three operations and the GAIL (India) Ltd. SPA commences with the start of train four operations.  Commencement of construction for the third and fourth trains is subject, but not limited to, entering into an EPC contract, regulatory approvals and Cheniere Partners making a final investment decision.  Cheniere Partners has placed documentation pertaining to the Liquefaction Project, including the applications and supporting studies, on its website located at http://www.cheniereenergypartners.com. 

This press release contains certain statements that may include "forward-looking statements" within the meanings of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included herein are "forward-looking statements." Included among "forward-looking statements" are, among other things, (i) statements regarding Cheniere Partners' business strategy, plans and objectives, including the construction and operation of liquefaction facilities, (ii) statements regarding our expectations regarding regulatory authorizations and approvals, (iii) statements expressing beliefs and expectations regarding the development of Cheniere Partners' LNG terminal and liquefaction business,  (iv) statements regarding the business operations and prospects of third parties, (v) statements regarding potential financing arrangements and (vi) statements regarding future discussions and entry into contracts.  Although Cheniere Partners believes that the expectations reflected in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, they do involve assumptions, risks and uncertainties, and these expectations may prove to be incorrect. Cheniere Partners' actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of a variety of factors, including those discussed in Cheniere Partners' periodic reports that are filed with and available from the Securities and Exchange Commission. You should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this press release. Other than as required under the securities laws, Cheniere Partners does not assume a duty to update these forward-looking statements.

SOURCE Cheniere Energy Partners, L.P.