MEXICO CITY, July 8 (RIA Novosti) - Next year the US will begin deliveries of shale gas to Chile, the Chilean newspaper La Segunda reported, citing the country's energy minister.
"The first port, which will start the export of shale gas from the US, belongs to the company Cheniere. The first ships to depart from this port will be carrying the [liquefied natural] gas intended for Chile," the country's Energy Minister Maximo Pacheco stated.
The US companies are interested in exporting gas against the backdrop of the so-called shale boom compounded by low domestic prices, but they require permission from the state authorities for the supply of gas to countries not involved in the free trade agreement with the United States.
In 2012, Cheniere Energy became the first company to receive the US government permission to export the shale gas from Cameron Parish in the southern state of Louisiana.
Chile is the world's largest copper producer, importing about 70 percent of its energy resources, with medium term plans to increase gas consumption.
