Sempra Energy’s incremental advance toward establishing and operating an LNG facility here moved ever so closer last week. That’s when we got the news that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission had OK’d Sempra’s plans to site, build and operate a natural gas liquefaction export facility in Jefferson County. That’s a big hurdle.

It would come in the form of Port Arthur LNG, located on the road to Sabine Pass, and would mean up to 3,500 construction jobs and perhaps 200 permanent jobs. Sempra has chosen Bechtel as the company to build the plant and it has signed a 20-year agreement with the Polish Oil & Gas Co. to sell 2 million tonnes of LNG per annum. That’s progress.

Sempra seems pleased with its forward progress toward achieving ambitious company goals. It should be.

“Port Arthur LNG should help us achieve our goal to become one of the largest exporters of North American liquefied natural gas,” said chairman Carlos Ruiz Sacristan, chairman and CEO of Sempra North American Infrastructure. “We are grateful to all of our stakeholders for supporting this important infrastructure project that is expected to create thousands of jobs and provide economic benefits for years to come.”

But more and important steps lie ahead. Sempra needs additional certain customers to make their investment here worthwhile. At one time, the projected size of the plant project was in excess of $8 billion; nowadays, the company will only measure the project in “the billions.” To move forward, Sempra needs guarantees.

But a start up is promising. A Sempra project in neighboring Hackberry, Louisiana, an hour away, is nearing start-up. LNG demand seems to grow.

It’s been 13 months since representatives of the Polish government and energy industry signed agreements with local entities here, including the Sabine-Neches Navigation District, the Port of Port Arthur and the Greater Port Arthur Chamber of Commerce.

Michal Kurtyka, undersecretary of state for Poland’s Ministry of Energy, traveled here to establish communication with the local energy and trade leaders. So we’re seeing high-level global interest, justified by this area’s global reputation for energy production.

We should be well pleased by Sempra’s progress, especially with the company’s success nearby and with progress on our ports and with promised progress on our waterway. Here’s an opportunity we cannot stress enough: Enormous, life-changing opportunities are being unveiled to young people in Southeast Texas every day.

But individual success in landing and prospering in meaningful and good-pay jobs like those in the energy industry require preparation. Southeast Texas — we are home to Lamar University, Lamar State College Port Arthur, Lamar State in Orange and LIT — offer abundant opportunities to prepare, better than any previous generation.

The world is knocking at our door. Will young people be ready to answer?