Court deals setback to controversial gas terminal on the Gulf of California

The start of construction on a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in the northern state of Sonora has been temporarily halted by a federal court, even though a government port authority granted the project 36 hectares last year. The Amigo LNG terminal — planned for Catalina Bay south of Guaymas, Sonora on the Gulf of California — would receive natural gas from the United States by pipeline, cool it into a liquid for shipment and export it by tankers to Asian markets. Amigo LNG was granted 36 maritime hectares in Guaymas, Sonora, to buiuld a liquefied natural gas facility for shipment across the Gulf of California to Asia. (Semar) A federal judge in Sonora granted a definitive suspension that temporarily bars the previously authorized construction while the court reviews an amparo (a constitutional rights challenge) filed by the environmental group Nuestro Futuro. Last week’s ruling, which followed a Sept. 18 hearing, does not cancel the project or revoke Amigo LNG’s separate agreement with the Guaymas National Port System Administration (ASIPONA Guaymas), a federal port authority. But the case does add to mounting opposition against LNG development in the Gulf of California, also known as the Sea of Cortez. Dubbed the “aquarium of the world” by French ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau, the gulf is home to a rich variety of marine life and includes a UNESCO World Heritage area. In April 2025, ASIPONA Guaymas granted Amigo LNG rights to use 36 hectares in Catalina Bay, according to documents obtained by the newspaper El País. Awarded directly, without a public bidding process, the agreement allows the company to build and run an LNG terminal in the area. El País reported that developers chose Mexico because similar terminals have faced stricter environmental rules and opposition on the U.S. West Coast. The project would process at least 250,000 tonnes of LNG in its first year. That figure would rise to 3.7 million tonnes a year beginning in its 10th year — a volume equivalent to 50 to 60 large LNG carriers. Environmental groups, citing concerns similar to those raised in a separate legal challenge that ended in a victory for whales, warn that added traffic could increase underwater noise and collision risks for marine life. The gulf is also home to the critically endangered vaquita. They also say public documents regarding the Amigo LNG terminal did not provide enough information to fully assess risks to marine life and coastal communities. Mexico’s Agency for Safety, Energy and Environment (ASEA) said it believes the suspension could remain in place until the court resolves the amparo. The project cannot begin construction while the suspension remains in force. Amigo LNG is one of several proposed projects intended to move gas from Texas’ Permian Basin through Mexico and across the Pacific to Asian markets. With reports from El País, La Silla Rota and Global Energy.mx