US LNG export capacity to double in 2019

The country is due to become the world's third-largest LNG export capacity holder this year

US nameplate LNG export capacity is likely to double this year to 55.7mn t/yr, equivalent to 7.6bn ft³/d (80bn m³/yr) of natural gas, as all six facilities comprising the first wave of US LNG export projects are expected to come on line.

This will make the US the world's third-largest LNG export capacity holder, behind Australia with 86.5mn t/yr and Qatar at 77mn t/yr.

US gas production is expected to keep up with higher demand for LNG output and pipeline exports to Mexico. US government agency the EIA recently estimated that domestic dry gas production would rise to an average of 90bn ft³/d in 2019, up from 83.3bn ft³/d this year. Nameplate US LNG export capacity grew by 54pc from 2017 to 27.8mn t/yr last year.

Investment in facilities that would become part of a so-called second wave of US LNG export capacity, due to come on line in the early to mid-2020s, could also be made in 2019.

US companies that say they plan to make final investment decisions this year include exporter Cheniere for its 4.5mn t/yr Sabine Pass train 6 and a 9.5mn t/yr expansion at the Corpus Christi LNG terminal. They also include Natural gas firm Tellurian for its $15.2bn, 27.6mn t/yr Driftwood LNG project in Louisiana, Washington-based Venture Global for its $4.5bn, 10mn t/yr Calcasieu Pass LNG facility in Louisiana, and Houston-based NextDecade for its 27mn t/yr Rio Grande LNG project in Texas.

US gas production growing with LNG demand Bcf/d

Growth in US LNG capacity, 2016-19 mn t/yr