EU Says It Can Handle More LNG

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Written by Daniel Graeber for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Members of the European Union (EU) said they have enough storage capacity to take in more imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG), including from the United States, as it weans itself off Russian gas imports.

"Currently, 13 member states possess the necessary infrastructure to import LNG," the European Commission said last week. "The EU has ample spare capacity to accommodate additional LNG imports, including from the U.S., to replace Russian gas imports."

Before the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Russia was among the top suppliers of natural gas to the EU, with at least some of the deliveries running through Soviet-era pipelines in Ukraine.

Sanctions and a concerted effort to lower the EU's dependencies on Russia saw increased shipments from outside the bloc. Recent data from the European Commission show Norway is now the top supplier of natural gas to the region, followed by LNG from the U.S.

A newly-brokered trade deal between the EU and the U.S. calls for even more. Europe over the next three years is obligated to purchase some $750 billion worth of energy products, from nuclear fuel to LNG.

The framework for the LNG commitments was criticized as out of reach, both in terms of supply-side strains from the U.S. to storage capacity in Europe. Spending on energy historically has also been far less than what's outlined in the deal.

Federal U.S. data from last year show the Netherlands, with its busy port at Rotterdam, was the largest consumer of U.S.-sourced LNG last year, with around 463 billion cubic feet delivered. Historically, meanwhile, the EU said it imports around 1.7 trillion cubic feet per year, or around 4.8 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d), from U.S. suppliers.

Data from IIR Energy show the eight operational LNG terminals combine for a peak processing capacity of 16.6 Bcf/d. The Sabine Pass terminal, operated by Cheniere Energy (Houston, Texas), is the largest by volume, accounting for about a quarter of the total processing capacity. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Oil & Gas Production Plant Database can learn more about Sabine Pass from a detailed plant profile.

The U.S. is the world leader in natural gas production and LNG exports. The London-based International Gas Union reported recently that it was the Plaquemines facility in Louisiana that helped support a net increase in LNG volumes from the U.S. Operated by Venture Global (Arlington, Virginia), Plaquemines in December shipped its debut cargo to Germany, where the company believes it's the largest supplier of LNG. Subscribers to the GMI Database can learn more about Plaquemines from a detailed plant profile.

Federal U.S. data show total natural gas production is on pace to decline in 2026, however, relative to current-year levels. That could put a strain on the domestic LNG potential, and the International Energy Agency has warned that, with new projects coming onstream, there could be a supply overhang that could exist well into the 2030s.

The EU said that its LNG commitments were not exclusive to the bloc's governing powers.

"While the Commission facilitates contacts between relevant EU buyers and sellers, commercial decisions naturally belong to companies," the commission explained. "At the same time, the U.S. will have to support these purchases by ensuring unrestricted access and sufficient production and export capacity."

Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, IIR is tracking over 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 Trillion (USD).