Reports related to this article:
Released October 31, 2025 | SUGAR LAND
Written by Daniel Graeber for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)
Summary
Feed gas deliveries to the Sabine Pass terminal are supporting heightened LNG activity in the U.S. market. Operator Cheniere Energy said expansion plans are in the works.
LNG Performs Above Expectations
Led in part by an increase in flows at Cheniere Energy's (Houston, Texas) Sabine Pass terminal, IIR Energy shows the U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) sector continues to perform above expectations.
IIR Energy's NATGAS TODAY daily natural gas report found feed gas to the operational LNG export terminals reached 17.37 billion cubic feet on Thursday, just shy of the record of 17.42 billion cubic feet reached on October 25. An average of 16 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) is expected by the federal government for the year.
Levels were supported by a higher flow of feed gas to the Sabine Pass terminal in Louisiana. As of Thursday, data show feed gas levels at 5.1 billion cubic feet, about 110% above its nameplate capacity. Sabine Pass is the largest operational export terminal for LNG in the United States.
Cheniere Energy Boasts of Q3 Performance
On Thursday, Cheniere Energy said it loaded more than 3,100 cargoes from Sabine Pass since operations began in 2016. There were 104 vessels laden with LNG taken from Sabine Pass during the third quarter, unchanged from the same period last year.
Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Oil & Gas Production Plant Database can view a detailed plant profile.
Elsewhere, the company said it was progressing with plans to develop a third stage at its Corpus Christi facility, which can handle around 2.4 Bcf/d of feed gas. As of Thursday, IIR Energy data show the plant was operating at 92% of its peak capacity. See the plant profile.
U.S. LNG Targeting Hard-to-Reach Asia
LNG deliveries avoid some of the geopolitical obstacles associated with piped gas, helping to make the U.S. one of the largest suppliers to the European market at a time when sanctions limit flows from legacy producer Russia.
U.S. exports of LNG to Asia, however, are burdened by the long routes out of the Gulf of Mexico, though foreign investments were apparent ahead of President Donald Trump's tour of Asia.
In August, Japanese energy company JERA (Tokyo) agreed to purchase 1 million metric tons of LNG per year from Cheniere from 2029 through 2050. Prices will be indexed to Henry Hub, the U.S. benchmark for the price of natural gas, plus a liquefaction fee.
More recently, JERA spent $1.5 billion to acquire acreage in the Haynesville Basin, saying production could be as high as 500 million cubic feet of natural gas per day. IIR Energy data show Lower 48 natural gas production was around 106.7 billion cubic feet on Thursday, down about a half-million cubic feet because of regular pipeline maintenance.
Looming Pressure Ahead?
LNG deliveries could squeeze the domestic market given the potential for export growth and lackluster production. Federal estimates suggest total LNG deliveries will increase by 6.6% annually by 2026, while natural gas production is on pace for only a 0.3% increase.
The International Energy Agency (IEA) in a global report on LNG said it expects about 1 trillion cubic feet in global annual capacity will be added by the end of the decade, supported in large part by the U.S. and Qatar.
A looming glut, however, could led to depressed market prices beyond 2030 and discourage future investments.
Key Takeaways:
- Sabine Pass feed gas levels support near-record highs of U.S. LNG.
- A global glut could emerge beyond 2030.
- Domestic natural gas production suppressed by pipeline maintenance.
By the Numbers:
- LNG deliveries will increase by 6.6% annually by 2026.
- Cheniere has loaded more than 3,100 cargoes from Sabine Pass.
- The Sabine Pass terminal operating at 110% above its nameplate capacity.
About Industrial Info Resources
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).
