Exhibit 99.1

 Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Approves Sabine Pass LNG Permit

    HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 15, 2004--Cheniere Energy Inc.
(AMEX:LNG) reports that at today's Commission meeting, the Federal
Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved the construction of
Cheniere's Sabine Pass LNG Receiving Terminal in Cameron Parish, La.
The approval, under Section 3 of the Natural Gas Act, authorizes
Cheniere's wholly owned limited partnership, Sabine Pass LNG, L.P.
(Sabine) to site, construct and operate a liquefied natural gas (LNG)
receiving terminal. FERC concurrently approved the associated Cheniere
Sabine Pass Pipeline Company project under Section 7 of the Natural
Gas Act.
    Charif Souki, chairman & CEO of Cheniere, said, "We would like to
thank the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Department of
Energy, the Honorable Kathleen Babineaux-Blanco Governor of Louisiana,
Senator-Elect David Vitter and Senator Mary Landrieu, the Cameron
Parish Police Jury, the Sabine Pass Pilots Association, the Jefferson
County Waterway and Navigation District, the West Cameron Port
Commission, Louisiana's state and local agencies and their federal and
local legislative representatives, and most of all, the citizens of
Cameron Parish. Once again, together, we made the process work. Thank
you!"
    On Dec. 22, 2003, Sabine filed an application with FERC for
authorization to construct and operate the facility with an initial
processing capacity of 2.6 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d). On Nov.
12, 2004, the FERC Staff concluded in a Final Environmental Impact
Statement that approval of the Sabine Pass LNG Receiving Terminal and
Pipeline Project, with appropriate mitigating measures as recommended,
would have limited adverse environmental impact. The Dec. 15, 2004,
action authorizes Cheniere's entities to site, construct and operate
the Sabine Pass LNG receiving terminal and associated pipeline,
subject to specified conditions which Cheniere expects to satisfy.
Construction of the facility is planned to begin in the first quarter
of 2005.
    Sabine's capacity holders are Total LNG USA Inc., a subsidiary of
Total S.A. (NYSE:TOT), with a reservation of 1 Bcf/d for 20 years, and
a subsidiary of ChevronTexaco Corporation (NYSE:CVX), with a
reservation of 700 million cubic feet per day (mmcf/d) for 20 years
with the option prior to Dec. 1, 2005, to decrease by 200 million
cubic feet or increase to 1 Bcf/d. Cheniere LNG Inc. will retain the
balance of the capacity.
    Cheniere Energy Inc. is a Houston-based developer of LNG Receiving
Terminals and a Gulf of Mexico E&P company. Cheniere is developing
Gulf Coast LNG Receiving Terminals near Sabine Pass in Cameron Parish,
La., in which it holds a 100% ownership interest; near Corpus Christi,
Texas, in which it holds a 66.7% ownership interest; and near the
Creole Trail in Cameron Parish, La., in which it holds a 100%
ownership interest. Cheniere is also a 30% limited partner in Freeport
LNG Development, L.P., which is developing an LNG Receiving Terminal
in Freeport, Texas. Cheniere conducts exploration for oil and gas in
the Gulf of Mexico using a regional database of 7,000 square miles of
PSTM 3D seismic data. Cheniere owns 9% of Gryphon Exploration Company,
along with Warburg, Pincus Equity Partners, L.P. which owns 91%.
Additional information about Cheniere Energy Inc. may be found on its
Web site at www.Cheniere.com.
    This press release contains certain statements that may include
"forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the
Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934. All statements, other than statements of historical facts,
included herein are "forward-looking statements." Included among
"forward-looking statements" are, among other things, (i) statements
regarding Cheniere's business strategy, plans and objectives and (ii)
statements expressing beliefs and expectations regarding the
development of Cheniere's LNG receiving terminal business. Although
Cheniere believes that the expectations reflected in these
forward-looking statements are reasonable, they do involve
assumptions, risks and uncertainties, and these expectations may prove
to be incorrect. Cheniere's actual results could differ materially
from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result
of a variety of factors, including those discussed in Cheniere's
periodic reports that are filed with and available from the Securities
and Exchange Commission. You should not place undue reliance on these
forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date of this
press release. Other than as required under the securities laws,
Cheniere does not assume a duty to update these forward-looking
statements.

    CONTACT: Cheniere Energy Inc., Houston
             David Castaneda, 713-265-0202
             Info@Cheniere.com