Chadbourne Represents Lenders to Cheniere Energy Partners, L.P. on Approximately US$2.8 Billion Senior Secured Credit Facilities

Chadbourne & Parke LLP represented the lenders to Cheniere Energy Partners, L.P. (NYSEMKT: CQP) on approximately US$2.8 billion of senior secured credit facilities. The financing closed on February 25, 2016.

Proceeds from these new credit facilities will be used by Cheniere Energy Partners, L.P (Cheniere Partners) (i) to prepay existing debt at Cheniere Creole Trail Pipeline, L.P. (CCTP), (ii) to redeem or repay the senior secured notes due 2016 and the senior secured notes due 2020 that were issued by Sabine Pass LNG, L.P. (SPLNG), (iii) to pay associated transaction costs and make-whole amounts, if any, and (iv) for general business purposes of Cheniere Partners and its subsidiaries. The lending group comprises 16 arrangers and participants.

Through its subsidiary SPLNG, Cheniere Partners owns the Sabine Pass LNG Terminal located in Cameron Parish, LA, with liquefied natural gas regasification and send-out capacity of approximately 4.3 Bcf/d, storage capacity of approximately 16.9 Bcfe and two marine berths. Through its subsidiary Sabine Pass Liquefaction, LLC (SPL), Cheniere Partners is developing and constructing natural gas liquefaction facilities at the Sabine Pass LNG terminal adjacent to the existing regasification facilities.  Cheniere Partners, through SPL, plans to construct over time up to six liquefaction trains, which are in various stages of development. Each liquefaction train is expected to have a nominal production capacity of approximately 4.5 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of LNG. SPL has entered into six third-party LNG sale and purchase agreements (SPAs) that in the aggregate equate to approximately 19.75 mtpa of LNG and commence with the date of first commercial delivery of Trains 1 through 5 as specified in the respective SPAs.

Partner Noam Ayali led the Chadbourne team working on the transaction, with assistance from partner Ben Koenigsberg. The team included counsels Scott Bank, Sue Cowell, Caileen (Kat) Gamache, Christy Rivera and Monika Szymanski; associates Ginger Collier, Mangesh Dhume, Kevin Prokup, Jason Keating and Ana Vucetic; and legal assistant Kelli Miles. Partners Bill Cavanagh and Marjorie Glover also provided additional support to the team.

"Chadbourne has been privileged to work with Cheniere Energy Partners, L.P. and its lenders on the Sabine Pass LNG project since the financing of the first two liquefaction trains at the project. It was exciting to close this new transaction with Cheniere Partners and its lenders one day after the first LNG vessel loaded at the Sabine Pass liquefaction project and departed carrying the first US LNG export cargo from this groundbreaking and industry-transforming project," said Mr. Ayali. "We appreciate the trust placed in us by Cheniere and the lenders. This transaction again brought together the firm's tremendous project finance and oil, gas and LNG experience, and required contributions from numerous practice groups throughout the firm."

About Chadbourne & Parke

For more than a century, Chadbourne & Parke has counseled innovators around the world. We are a full-service law firm that leverages the extraordinary talent from our 11 international offices to offer the highest caliber client service in more than 80 countries and across every region on the globe. Today, we are recognized internationally for our groundbreaking work in emerging economies and our deep experience in energy and infrastructure, corporate and finance transactions, international disputes, and bankruptcy and financial restructuring.