Freeport LNG is rumoured to be on the brink of going public with the first of the sales deals that underpin its US export plans.

The buzz at this week’s World Gas Conference was that Shell has firmed up an agreement to buy 2 million tonnes per annum from the would-be production project on the US Gulf Coast (pictured).

Freeport chief executive and founder Michael Smith said last month the company has signed a heads of agreement covering its first 4.4