Overview
Market Pulse
The North American construction landscape is defined by a Gulf Coast LNG mega-wave colliding with an unprecedented AI data-centre and semiconductor buildout. With Corpus Christi Stage 3 nearing full completion, Golden Pass LNG commissioning its first train and beginning Train 2 systems commissioning, and LNG Canada's two trains now both operational and ramping, 2026 marks the inflection point for North American LNG export capacity. Simultaneously, over 670 hyperscale projects are in the global pipeline with approximately 35 GW of capacity currently under construction in North America alone.
Energy
Key Energy Developments
Corpus Christi Stage 3 (TX)
Trains 5 and 6 reached substantial completion in March and June 2026 respectively. Train 7 commissioning is actively underway — propane introduction approved by FERC in late June — with substantial completion expected August or September 2026. Once complete, the seven-train expansion will add over 10 MTPA to bring Corpus Christi's total capacity above 25 MTPA.
Golden Pass LNG (TX)
Train 1 has shipped three cargoes but remains volatile: feedgas fell near zero on June 29 following flaring issues under investigation with Texas regulators, after peaking at nearly 600 MMcf/d on June 23. FERC approved Train 2 systems commissioning on June 25, 2026. Train 2 first LNG is expected in H1 2027. Train 3 construction and commissioning continues in parallel.
LNG Canada (BC)
Both trains are now operational. Train 1 shipped its first cargo in June 2025 and Train 2 commenced production in November 2025. As of February 2026 the facility had shipped 50 cargoes. FID on Phase 2 — which would double capacity to 28 MTPA — is expected during 2026, with the March 2026 Coastal GasLink cooperation agreement supporting the expansion pipeline case.
DOE Export Approvals
Plaquemines LNG and Elba Island LNG received DOE approval in March and April 2026 to increase permitted exports by 0.5 Bcf/d and 0.1 Bcf/d respectively, expanding the regulatory runway for Gulf Coast export infrastructure.
Industrial
Key Industrial Developments
Data Centre & AI Buildout
Goldman Sachs projects total hyperscaler capex from 2025 through 2027 will reach $1.15 trillion, more than double prior levels. U.S. data centre construction spending reached a monthly rate of $45.1 billion by December 2025, up 85% from two years prior.
Semiconductors & Compute
Elon Musk has proposed “Terafab” centred in Austin, which could ultimately support 1 terawatt of compute capacity annually. TSMC continues its Arizona ramp, with facilities expected to create 6,000 direct jobs alongside wider construction and supply chain employment.
Capital Power Genesee (AB)
The Government of Canada relaxed environmental standards paving the way for Capital Power to expand its 1,857 MW Genesee site, which could accommodate a 1,000 MW, 1-million-square-foot hyperscale data centre.
Contracts
EPC & Contract Awards
Darlington SMR Supply Chain
- Walters Group — $44.5M structural steel award
- Marmon Industrial Water — $17.8M condensate purification package
- Tractel — $9.9M reactor building weather enclosure
LNG EPC
- McDermott is executing Woodfibre LNG, one of the company's most significant onshore energy projects in North America, with an EPC value exceeding USD 500M.
- Bechtel remains the lead LNG EPC globally, having delivered or actively executing Sabine Pass, Corpus Christi Stages 3 & 4, Driftwood, Rio Grande, and Port Arthur LNG.
New Entries
New Projects to Track
Alaska LNG (Glenfarne)
Proposed 20 Mt/y export plant in Nikiski. Pipeline FID anticipated late 2025 remains pending. Glenfarne has enlisted Worley ahead of the FID. One to watch as U.S. export policy continues to favour new capacity.
Penzance High Impact Intelligence Center (WV)
$4 billion campus in Berkeley County, West Virginia, delivering 600 MW of IT capacity.
Rio Bravo Pipeline (TX)
138-mile pipeline with capacity up to 4.5 Bcf/d delivering feedgas to NextDecade's Rio Grande LNG terminal.
Williams Southeast Supply Enhancement (VA)
1.6 Bcf/d expansion of the Transcontinental Pipeline expected online in 2027, underpinning feedgas supply to Gulf Coast and Southeast demand centres.
Corpus Christi Stage 4 (TX)
Cheniere filed a FERC application in February 2026 for four large-scale trains adding ~24 MTPA. First commissioning is estimated early 2032. Represents the next major EPC wave at the Corpus Christi complex.
Briefing reflects sources current to June 30, 2026. Golden Pass Train 1 ramp-up remains volatile — recommend validating feedgas and commissioning status directly with site teams before engagement.
About Arbiter
Where Arbiter Fits In
Every project listed in this briefing shares a common challenge: keeping complex, multi-discipline scopes organised, accountable, and on track from first construction activity through to final handover. That's exactly where Arbiter operates. As project scale and complexity grows across LNG facilities, data centres, semiconductor fabs, pipelines, power generation, and nuclear, the demand for structured, software-driven project controls has never been higher.
Construction Controls
Arbiter tracks every punch item, ITR, and work package from first-fix through mechanical completion, giving project teams a single source of truth across multi-discipline scopes.
Pre-Commissioning & Commissioning
Structured subsystem walkdowns, loop checks, and energisation sequencing managed in one platform — reducing rework and keeping complex systems aligned to schedule.
Handover & Turnover
Automated, auditable handover documentation reduces the time and risk of transferring complex facilities to operations, regardless of sector or project size.
How Arbiter Applies Across This Briefing
| Project Type | Arbiter Application |
|---|---|
| LNG FacilitiesGolden Pass, Corpus Christi, Woodfibre, Cedar, Port Arthur, Rio Grande | Multi-discipline handover packages; punch and ITR management across large piping, rotating equipment, and controls scopes; train-by-train commissioning progress tracking; regulatory closeout documentation. |
| Data Centres & Semiconductor FabsTerafab, TSMC Arizona, Penzance | Commissioning management for electrical, mechanical, and controls systems across multiple halls and phases; structured ITR workflows; live C&E tracking. |
| Nuclear & PowerDarlington SMR, TerraPower Natrium, Capital Power Genesee | Safety-critical ITR control; system-by-system energisation tracking; interface management between EPCs and owner operators; licence-to-operate documentation support. |
| Pipelines & Gas InfrastructureRio Bravo, Williams Southeast, Commonwealth LNG | Construction completion tracking for linear scopes; hydro-test and pre-commissioning records; streamlined handover packages for operations teams. |
As North America's project pipeline accelerates through 2026–2027, owners and EPCs are under increasing pressure to deliver on schedule across some of the most complex capital projects ever built. Arbiter provides the project controls software infrastructure that turns complexity into a controlled, transparent process — from first construction activity through to final handover.
This briefing is prepared by Arbiter Completions & Controls for internal and client use. Information is compiled from publicly available sources as at June 30, 2026 and is provided for situational awareness purposes only.