WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

  • US LNG exports are expected to exceed 120 million tonnes in 2026 as Gulf Coast liquefaction capacity continues expanding.
  • Plaquemines LNG received approval for a 13% export increase, while Corpus Christi gained authorization for up to 0.47 bcfd of additional capacity.
  • Lawmakers warned that expanding LNG exports could increase domestic natural gas, heating and electricity costs.
  • EIA forecasts marketed gas production growth of 4.5 bcfd in 2026 and 4.6 bcfd in 2027.

US LNG exports are positioned to exceed 120 million tonnes in 2026, extending the country’s record run as new Gulf Coast liquefaction capacity enters service. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said Sept. 22 that the expected volume would establish another high for the world’s largest LNG supplier.

“Last year, for the first time in history, a country exported more than 100 million tonnes of LNG—and that country was the United States. And this year, we are on track to surpass 120 million tonnes,” Wright said in a post on X.

Wright credited companies including Caturus, which recently announced a major expansion of its Gulf Coast export plant. The broader rise in exports is being driven primarily by new projects entering operation and existing terminals securing approval to expand.

Venture Global’s Plaquemines LNG project in Louisiana has continued to increase output since beginning operations. In March, the Department of Energy authorized an immediate 13% increase in exports from the project, lifting its total authorized capacity to 3.85 bcfd.

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Cheniere Energy also received approval in February for an additional expansion of its Corpus Christi LNG project in Texas. The authorization added as much as 0.47 bcfd, bringing the project’s total authorized export capacity to 4.45 bcfd.

Growth has not been confined to the Gulf Coast. In April, the Department of Energy approved a 22% increase in export capacity for the Elba Island LNG terminal in Georgia.

Additional US LNG projects remain under development or construction, providing a further path for export growth. Most US liquefaction capacity, however, remains concentrated along the Gulf Coast, giving the region a central role in the expanding trade.

The US has emerged over the past several years as the world’s largest LNG exporter. It also has become an important supplier to the European gas market following the decline in Russian pipeline gas supplies.

Gulf Coast terminals can reach European and Asian markets through the Atlantic and the Panama Canal. That access allows cargoes to be redirected in response to regional price differences, supporting the growing US role as the global marginal supplier of LNG.

That flexibility has attracted particular attention this year as Iranian actions disrupted LNG shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. The disruption reduced supplies from Qatar and the wider Gulf region, while US natural gas production and liquefaction infrastructure remained unaffected.

Wright cited the disruption when approving the Plaquemines expansion in March. As global buyers seek more diversified sources of supply, the strategic value of US LNG has increased further.

The rapid export expansion has also intensified controversy at home. In February, lawmakers including US Senator Elizabeth Warren sent Wright a letter citing analysis from the US Energy Information Administration.

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The lawmakers argued that LNG export growth is a significant factor pushing US natural gas prices higher. They also warned that continued expansion could raise heating and electricity costs for consumers, creating a debate likely to become more intense as additional projects advance.

Domestic demand for natural gas is rising at the same time. Electricity consumption is being driven by construction of data centers and artificial intelligence infrastructure, while new LNG export projects are competing for the same gas supplies.

So far, the domestic market has absorbed the increase in demand. After a cold weather price spike in January, Henry Hub has remained around $3/MMbtu since the spring, reflecting how quickly US supply has kept pace with expanding LNG requirements.

The Energy Information Administration forecasts that US marketed natural gas production will increase by 4.5 bcfd in 2026 and 4.6 bcfd in 2027. Those gains partly reflect higher oil prices and growth in associated gas production.

The Permian and Haynesville regions together account for more than 70% of the production growth in the forecast. Their expected contribution will be important as export terminals, electricity demand, data centers and artificial intelligence infrastructure place greater demands on US gas supply.