Two more LNG proposals for Ventura County

Anyone who says that there is not market demand for liquefied natural gas in California should probably take a class in economics--those who would supply it certainly think there's enough need to keep proposing new facilities!

Two more companies are close to filing applications with state and federal officials for liquefied natural gas facilities off the Los Angeles and Ventura County coasts.

Australia-based Woodside Natural Gas Inc. will submit an application within two months with the California State Lands Commission and the U.S. Coast Guard for a deep-water port license, company officials said recently.

NorthernStar Natural Gas expects to file a similar application within a few weeks, officials with the Houston-based company said.

BHP Billiton, also of Australia, is furthest along in the regulatory process for what could be Southern California's first liquefied natural gas facility. The mining firm hopes to build a floating gas port 13.8 miles off the Oxnard coast. Gas would be piped ashore to the Reliant Energy plant near Ormond Beach. Another pipeline would carry the gas to a Southern California Gas Co. facility in Somis.