Venture Global LNG sues Kiewit, alleges it shared confidential documents with Shell
By Nilutpal Timsina and Curtis Williams
Aug 3 (Reuters) -U.S. liquefied natural gas company Venture Global LNG sued construction contractor Kiewit on Friday, alleging it passed confidential documents to Shell Plc SHEL.L.
Venture Global LNG's Calcasieu Pass plant has been at the center of a long-running dispute involving energy companies including BP Plc BP.L, Shell and others over access to LNG from the plant.
"Kiewit was entrusted with this information to enable its work to construct a natural gas liquefaction and export terminal in Cameron Parish, Louisiana developed by Venture Global," Venture Global said in a New York State Supreme Court filing.
The confidential information included proprietary project development, design, configuration methods, and detailed information about the multi-billion-dollar facility's design and construction, Venture Global said.
"Kiewit admits that it disclosed thousands of pages of confidential information to Shell and its project manager for the facility has been speaking directly with Shell about the project," the company added in the filing.
Venture Global said it will seek an award in arbitration to prevent further disclosure of confidential information by Kiewit.
"We are equally disappointed by Shell who appears to have solicited this disclosure," Venture Global said in a statement to Reuters.
Shell and Kiewit did not respond to Reuters' request for comments.
The Arlington, Virginia-based firm's Calcasieu Pass plant has been producing and shipping LNG for more than two years, but has not provided contract customers with supplies, saying the plant is not yet fully operational.
The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in June ordered Venture Global to provide customers with documents about the mechanical problems and startup of its Louisiana plant.
BP and Shell in January asked FERC to force Venture Global LNG to release documents to determine why commercial operations were stalled, calling the delay "unprecedented and inexplicable."
Reporting by Nilutpal Timsina in Bengaluru and Curtis Williams in Houston, Editing by Nick Zieminski
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