U.S. LNG Exports Already Above Expected 2025 Average

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Written by Daniel Graeber for Industrial Info Resources (Sugar Land, Texas)--Even though the eight terminals permitted for exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) are operating slightly below their peak, U.S. deliveries are above the expected average for the year, data show.

The Calcasieu Pass terminal in Louisiana, operated by Venture Global LNG (Arlington, Virginia), on Friday exported about 1.4 billion cubic feet of LNG, which represents about 77% of its peak. Meanwhile, the newly launched Plaquemines facility, another Venture Global project, is only up to 70% of its peak capacity of 1.89 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d).

But even when under-performing, total U.S. LNG exports as of Friday were at 15.9 Bcf/d, some 14% above the expected average for 2025, data from IIR Energy show. The federal government expects LNG exports to average 14 Bcf/d this year and increase to 16 Bcf/d by 2026.

The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported Thursday that 36 vessels laden with LNG departed U.S. export terminals over the seven-day period ending February 12 for a combined 114 Bcf. Most of the traffic came out of the Sabine Pass terminal, the largest U.S. facility. Operated by Cheniere Energy Incorporated (Houston, Texas), it's designed for 4.9 Bcf/d of gas in the liquid form.

The LNG sector is accelerating. The first-ever cargo from Plaquemines was loaded on December 26 onto the Venture Global Bayou, one of nine new vessels in Venture Global's fleet that are designed to transport LNG.

This cargo was shipped to German energy company EnBW Energie Baden-Württemberg AG (EnBW) (Karlsruhe, Germany).

In January, Baker Hughes Company (NASDAQ:BKR) (Houston) secured an order to supply gas technology for liquefaction plants in support of Australian energy company Woodside Energy Group's (Perth, Australia) plans to build a new export facility called Louisiana LNG.

Industrial Info is tracking nearly $21 billion worth of projects associated with Louisiana LNG. Subscribers to Industrial Info's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Oil & Gas Project Database can click here for a full list of related project reports.

Woodside renamed the three-train facility Louisiana LNG after it completed its buyout of U.S. LNG developer Tellurian in October. The facility formerly was named Driftwood. Tellurian in 2022 secured the permits necessary for the start of construction at the facility planned for Lake Charles, Louisiana. About 1.5 Bcf/d is expected from the first phase of operations. A final investment decision is expected this quarter.

Expansions to existing facilities could support another 6 Bcf/d in LNG exports.

Already the world leader in LNG exports, U.S. President Donald Trump on Friday gave Commonwealth LNG (Houston) the permits necessary to build its proposed LNG export facility in Cameron Parish, Louisiana. Subscribers can click here for a list of detailed reports for projects associated with Commonwealth LNG.

Companies need a special permit to send LNG to countries that do not have a free-trade agreement with the U.S. It's unclear how Trump's tariff policies would impact those agreements, however.

Commonwealth is working to develop a facility that would have a design capacity of about 1.2 Bcf/d in LNG exports. The LNG permit was issued the same day that Trump, by executive order, created the National Energy Dominance Council, which he said would facilitate even more production.

While the U.S. is abundant in natural gas supplies, more exports of LNG could create something of a rob-Peter-to-pay-Paul situation as more gas leaves the country. A cold winter so far in North America means domestic natural gas consumption is about 12% higher than the five-year average for this time of year.

Henry Hub, the U.S. benchmark for the price of natural gas, hit historic lows last year on lackluster demand. The price averaged $2.19 per million British thermal units in 2024. It's expected to average $3.79 this year and reach $4.16 by 2026.

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) platform 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 more than 200,000 current and future projects worth $17.8 trillion (USD).