Next US LNG FIDs would add supply in 2030-31

Spanish Market: Natural gas
15/04/26

The current wave of US LNG export investments that began in 2025 is poised to continue in the coming months, with another 17.9mn metric tonnes (t)/yr (2.4bn ft³/d) of capacity close to construction.

Federal filings made available this week show three projects racing to final investment decisions (FIDs) by the end of June and detail the start-up timelines for projects that are already under construction. The US Department of Energy (DOE) requires companies with authorization to export LNG to file written reports semiannually in April and October describing the projects' progress.

Caturus' 9.5mn t/yr Commonwealth LNG terminal in southwest Louisiana, Glenfarne's 4mn t/yr Texas LNG terminal in south Texas and Delfin's 4.4mn t/yr floating LNG export terminal off the coast of Louisiana anticipate FIDs in the second quarter. Those would follow the 7.8mn t/yr second phase of the 28mn t/yr CP2 facility in southwest Louisiana. LNG producer Venture Global greenlit that project in March. This year's planned FIDs come after project developers began construction on 67.3mn t/yr of capacity in 2025.

Commonwealth, Texas LNG, and Delfin plan to begin exports in 2029-31 (see pre-FID table). The next potential projects in the queue are Cheniere's 20mn t/yr stage 5 expansion at the 33mn t/yr Sabine Pass facility in southwest Louisiana and Venture Global's proposed 31mn t/yr expansion at its 27.2mn t/yr Plaquemines terminal in southeast Louisiana. Both companies plan to develop those projects in phases, with the initial phases targeted for FIDs in early 2027. Cheniere plans the first phase to add 7mn t/yr, with a 6mn t/yr train and 1mn t/yr from a boil-off reliquefaction unit. Venture Global has not detailed how it would phase its Plaquemines expansion.

QatarEnergy and ExxonMobil's 18.1mn t/yr Golden Pass LNG terminal is continuing to ramp up after producing its first LNG on 30 March, though the terminal is yet to export a cargo. The three-train facility is expected to bring each unit on line in six-month increments. The other project adding production this year is Cheniere's 11.5mn t/yr stage 3 expansion at Corpus Christi LNG. That expansion has added about 8.2mn t/yr of production since late 2024, with the final 3.3mn t/yr expected on line by autumn.

NextDecade and Sempra plan to bring new capacity on line in 2027 (see post-FID table). NextDecade's 30.2mn t/yr Rio Grande LNG terminal in south Texas is expected to begin exports in September 2027, according to its semiannual DOE filing, with each of the facility's five trains adding production through 2031. The first train of Sempra's 27mn t/yr Port Arthur LNG also is anticipated to begin exports next year.

By Tray Swanson

Select pre-FID projects			mn t/yr
Terminal	Capacity (mn t/yr)	FID target	First exports
Commonwealth	9.5	2Q 2026	2029-30
Texas LNG	4.0	2Q 2026	2,030.0
Delfin FLNG 1	4.4	2Q 2026	2030-31
Sabine Pass stage 5*	20.0	1Q 2027	2030-31
Plaquemines expansion*	31.0	1Q 2027	2028-29**
Corpus Christi stage 4*	24.0	3Q 2027	2032**
Total	92.9
phased construction; *estimate for first phase's production based on FID target

Post-FID projects under construction		mn t/yr
Terminal	Capacity (mn t/yr)	First exports
Golden Pass, T1	6.0	1H 2026
Golden Pass, T2	6.0	2H 2026/1H 2027
Golden Pass, T3	6.0	Mid-2027
Corpus Christi midscale trains 6-7	3.3	Mid-2026
Corpus Christi midscale trains 7-8	5.0	2H 2028
Rio Grande, T1	6.0	3Q 2027
Rio Grande, T2	6.0	2Q 2028
Rio Grande, T3	6.0	4Q 2028/1Q 2029
Rio Grande, T4	6.0	2Q 2030
Rio Grande, T5	6.0	1Q 2031
CP2, phase 1	20.2	2,027.0
CP2, phase 2	7.8	2,028.0
Port Arthur, T1	6.8	2,027.0
Port Arthur, T2	6.8	2,028.0
Port Arthur, T3	6.8	2,030.0
Port Arthur, T4	6.8	2,031.0
Louisiana LNG, T1	5.5	2,029.0
Louisiana LNG, T2	5.5	2,030.0
Louisiana LNG, T3	5.5	2,031.0
Total	128.0
— regulatory filings, company statements

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24/04/26

Shipping needs pragmatic decarbonisation approach: IMO

Singapore, 24 April (Argus) — The maritime sector's push towards net-zero emissions suffered a "small setback" at the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) meeting last October, but the industry needs a "pragmatic" approach given the current geopolitical climate, IMO secretary general Arsenio Dominguez said at the Singapore Maritime Week (SMW) conference this week. The focus on decarbonisation "is not diminished", said Dominguez, adding that research and investment into decarbonising the sector is still ongoing. Freedom of navigation and the safety of crew remains top of mind for the maritime industry, and the IMO has proposed an evacuation framework for affected vessels in the Mideast Gulf. The sector is keeping close watch on the 84th Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) that will be held in London next week, and key shipping groups have expressed support for the IMO's greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction ambitions ahead of the session. The US-Iran war foregrounds the energy trilemma between energy security, affordability, and sustainability, said SMW panellists, noting the maritime sector needs to balance all three components for a resilient transition to greener fuels, particularly as the shipping sector is "pulled in many directions" given short-term supply shocks and regional regulations. Recent supply shocks have shown countries need to diversify their economy and source for alternative fuel options, said Dominguez. But panellists emphasised that cost barriers have slowed the shift to greener fuels, since affordability requires scale and investment. One of the things that would drive the scale-up and investment in greener fuels is the certainty of regulations, said Stefan Nysjo, head of power supply at Finnish engine manufacturer Wartsila Marine Power. Supportive policies are "important when you're entering a market where there is no market", said ExxonMobil Asia Pacific chairman and managing director Geraldine Chin. A carbon accounting system underpinned by transparency is the way forward, said Chin, stressing that carbon intensity systems must be implemented on a total life cycle basis, and gradually such that it doesn't shock the market. Decarbonisation solutions "must be economic" and the market must depend on new technologies that would support the uptake of alternative fuels like ammonia, hydrogen, and methanol, she said. But several panellists noted that businesses are not waiting for regulations to be fixed before deciding what to do in terms of decarbonisation. We have to look at "what are the options today… and not in 20 years", said Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) head of maritime policy and government affairs Marie-Caroline Laurent. MSC had chosen the LNG pathway with the hope of progressing to bio-methane and e-methane in the future, although they are not closed to other fuel options. "The choice was a very practical one," said Laurent. Maersk has committed to low-carbon fuel options, with methanol being one of them, said its management and technology Leonardo Sonzio. The Danish container liner has net-zero greenhouse gas emissions target by 2040, with intermediate targets by 2030. Smaller shipping firms may not have the luxury of choosing several fuel pathways, said shipping firm CMB.Tech's chief executive Alexander Saverys. Decarbonisation can only pick up when the cost of alternative fuels becomes "cheap compared to diesel", said Saverys, adding that CMB.Tech had chosen the ammonia pathway given its usage in other industrial sectors. Economist Martin Stopford said a lot of the "low hanging fruits" have been picked in the past 50 years, driven by demand for energy from crude, and the "move to a new era" of cleaner fuels would require higher costs, deeper knowledge and further efforts in development. By Cassia Teo Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

Lebanon ceasefire extended by 3 weeks: Trump

23/04/26

Lebanon ceasefire extended by 3 weeks: Trump

Washington, 23 April (Argus) — Israel will suspend military operations in Lebanon for another three weeks beyond the existing ceasefire deadline of 26 April, President Donald Trump said on Thursday following talks between Israeli and Lebanese envoys at the White House. The ceasefire negotiated a week ago was due to expire at 8pm ET (20:00 GMT) on 26 April, so a three-week extension will push it until 17 May. Lebanon-based, Iran-backed Hezbollah militants launched drone and missile attacks against Israel last month, opening a new front in the US-Israel war against Iran and drawing a heavy-handed response from Israel against civilian areas and infrastructure in Lebanon. Israel and Hezbollah exchanged small scale attacks in recent days, despite the ceasefire. The ceasefire agreement allows Israel to "take all necessary measures in self-defense, at any time, against planned, imminent, or ongoing attacks". But Trump said on 17 April that he "prohibited" Israel from carrying out attacks in Lebanon. The Lebanon ceasefire agreement on 16 April came in response to Tehran's demand for Israel to cease hostilities, as part of a broader US-Iran push for a negotiated end to the war. "It'll be a wonderful thing to get (a Lebanon-Israel peace agreement) worked out simultaneously with what we're doing in Iran", Trump said on Thursday. But prospects for a US-Iran agreement look more remote now than they did a week ago. The strait of Hormuz remains largely closed to navigation, and the US naval blockade of Iranian trade continues despite a ceasefire that Trump said on 21 April will continue indefinitely. There is no date set for the next round of US-Iran talks. Trump in recent days said that Iran's leadership is fractured over a possible deal with the US. He also downplayed Iran's ability to control the strait of Hormuz and declared that it was, in fact, the US that retained control over that waterway since "no ship can enter or leave without the approval of the United States Navy". Trump also said in a social media post on Thursday that he was not "'anxious' to end the War (if you would even call it that!) with Iran, please be advised that I am possibly the least pressured person ever to be in this position." Iran's president Massoud Pezeshkian, parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and other officials appeared to respond to Trump's claims of fractures in Tehran with similarly worded social media posts insisting that Iran's leadership is in fact united. The US naval blockade in the Gulf of Oman and across the Indian Ocean — in effect since 13 April — has resulted in the capture of three Iranian vessels and has forced 31 Iranian ships to return to ports in Iran, the Pentagon said on Thursday. Iran has responded to the US actions by seizing two containerships owned by Swiss firm MSC that were transiting the strait of Hormuz. Iran's response does not amount to a ceasefire violation, the White House said on Wednesday. Trump reiterated on Thursday that the US public should be prepared for a conflict with Iran of long duration, similar to the Vietnam war or the Second World War — which he said was justified by the need to eliminate Iran's alleged nuclear weapons program. US oil executives are beginning to voice concerns over the inconsistent messaging from the White House about the possible duration and impacts from the confrontation with Iran, which they said is deterring an appropriate supply response from US oil producers. "If the administration feels that we need to prolong the conflict, it needs to better articulate the long-term strategic goal," an oil executive said in an anonymous survey compiled by the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas and released on Thursday. "There is no way to predict the outcome of the war with Iran," another upstream executive said. "The effect it will have on domestic oil production depends on how long the strait remains closed, and that is how long Iran can control the movement through the strait." By Haik Gugarats Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

UK gives energy regulator growth and net zero mandates

23/04/26

UK gives energy regulator growth and net zero mandates

London, 23 April (Argus) — The UK government has given energy regulator Ofgem an explicit mandate to prioritise economic growth and the clean energy transition alongside consumer protection, in the most wide-ranging review of the regulator since it was established in 2000. The change — set out in the final report of the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero's (Desnz) Ofgem Review — replaces the regulator's single consumer-protection objective with three equal duties covering consumer protection, net zero and economic growth. The restructure would allow Ofgem to give more weight to long-term network investment when balancing trade-offs against near-term impacts on consumer bills, Desnz said. The review was launched in December 2024 against a backdrop of criticism over Ofgem's handling of the 2021-22 energy crisis, during which 30 suppliers failed and household bills reached record highs. The UK's energy retail market has also changed substantially since 2000, with the government arguing that the current regulatory model has not kept pace. The review sets out a clearer division of responsibilities between government, Ofgem and electricity grid operator Neso. Desnz will set out strategic objectives through a new Ofgem-specific Strategy and Policy Statement, while Ofgem determines how to deliver them. Stakeholders had raised concerns about blurred accountability across the three bodies, particularly as Neso takes on a greater role in strategic energy planning. The regulator's enforcement toolkit will be expanded, acquiring direct consumer law enforcement powers without recourse to the courts. The review also introduces an Energy System Value Chain framework to replace the current technology-based licensing model, giving the energy minister powers to extend Ofgem's remit to new activities without primary legislation. Ofgem's role will narrow in other respects. The regulator will not take on the delivery of new schemes on behalf of government, with energy efficiency scheme administration set to transfer to a proposed Warm Homes Agency. Industry body Energy UK said the review fell short of what was needed. "It is disappointing that this review falls short of the radical reform that is necessary to create a more streamlined and focused regulator," chief executive Dhara Vyas said. Most of the proposed reforms require primary legislation, for which no timeline has been confirmed. By Timothy Santonastaso Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

US’ Golden Pass LNG exports first cargo

22/04/26

US’ Golden Pass LNG exports first cargo

Houston, 22 April (Argus) — QatarEnergy (QE) and ExxonMobil's 18.1mn t/yr (2.4bn ft³/d) Golden Pass LNG terminal in southeast Texas exported its first cargo on Wednesday, the joint venture partners said. QE's 174,000m³ Al Qaiyyah LNG carrier departed Golden Pass after arriving for the terminal's first export on 20 April. Market participants have been awaiting the ramp-up of Golden Pass following the loss of around 1.6mn t/week of LNG from the de facto closure of the strait of Hormuz since the end of February. QE's 77mn t/yr Ras Laffan terminal in Qatar also suffered damage in an Iranian attack in March, likely losing 12.8mn t/yr of capacity for three to five years. It is unclear where Al Qaiyyah will deliver the cargo. The ship had a declared draft of 11.6m, consistent with other fully laden LNG carriers departing the US Gulf coast, Kpler data show. Golden Pass began producing LNG on 30 March, as the terminal ramps up the first of its three liquefaction trains. But the facility's loading rate is not yet apparent because the first shipment likely included a partial re-export of the facility's cool-down cargo, which arrived in December. Feedgas flows to Golden Pass have averaged 270mn ft³/d over the last seven days, indicating train 1 is operating at around a third of its capacity. Up to 15pc of feedgas is consumed or burned in the liquefaction process. The 174,000m³ HL Sea Eagle , controlled by ExxonMobil, has been holding off the Texas coast since 20 April and could load the firm's first cargo from the terminal. By Tray Swanson Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

EU publishes energy crisis plans

22/04/26

EU publishes energy crisis plans

Brussels, 22 April (Argus) — The European Commission today published a series of actions to address what it called a "fossil energy" crisis, as the war in the Middle East continues to disrupt global oil and gas supplies. The commission estimates the EU has spent an additional €24bn on energy imports since the conflict started, reflecting higher prices and tighter supply. Commission president Ursula von der Leyen said the bloc must accelerate the shift to domestic and clean energy to strengthen energy security and reduce dependence on imports. A central element of the plan is closer co-ordination among member states, including on refilling underground gas storage and, if required, emergency releases of oil stocks, as outlined in previous drafts . To improve oversight of fuel markets, the commission confirmed it will establish a new EU Fuel Observatory from May 2026. The body will track EU production, imports, exports and stocks of transport fuels, as well as refining capacity and military fuel stocks. The commission said it will also co-ordinate with EU states, fuel suppliers, airports and airlines on sourcing and distributing alternative jet fuel supplies. Officials are assessing whether jet fuel should be included in obligatory strategic stocks. Other measures include a temporary state aid framework to support the most exposed sectors. The commission's executive vice-president Teresa Ribera said there was "no alternative" to the Green Deal, the EU's climate and energy transition strategy, adding that "citizens and businesses are paying the price of our dependency". The commission's final document addresses calls by five EU ministers for a windfall levy on energy firms, saying member states may take measures to tax windfall profits "to ensure social fairness". The commission said it will respect national decisions and share best practices. The commission also wants to increase annual renewable electricity deployment to 100GW as part of efforts to cut reliance on imported fossil fuels. The commission said it will adopt a legislative proposal by July to update the EU emissions trading system (ETS). But officials declined to give a firm timetable for publishing updated ETS benchmarks, saying only that this would happen "soon". Officials said the ETS review would increase clean energy financing via the Industrial Decarbonisation Bank, supported by €100bn, and the Investment Booster funded by 400mn ETS allowances. The commission is also considering greater support for sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and sustainable maritime fuels through the ETS framework. While many of the measures are recommendations to member states, changes to the ETS require approval by the European Parliament. Green MEP Michael Bloss criticised the absence of an EU-wide windfall tax, the lack of concrete consumption reduction measures and delays in setting a firm electrification goal. Speed limits and home-working rules are free and sharply reduce consumption, he said. "Fuel discounts artificially stimulate demand, provide little relief and do so indiscriminately, and in the end cost consumers three times over," Bloss added. By Dafydd ab Iago Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.

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Next US LNG FIDs would add supply in 2030-31

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