US Keeps Top LNG Supply Spot in H1 2023

and will continue to be for a few years (with 5 charts)

The shutdown of the US Freeport LNG terminal in June 2022 had an impact on flows in the second half of last year, with an estimated LNG production loss of 6 million tons. According to shipping data compiled by the EOA, US LNG exports totaled 78.4 million tons in 2022, just shy of Qatar’s 80.1 million tons, and Australia’s 79.3 million tons (Figure 1). However, since the start of 2023, US LNG exports have been on an upward trend following the restart of the Freeport LNG facility in February and after several delays. The US is the world’s largest liquefaction capacity holder, with Freeport LNG, the second largest facility in the country, roughly representing one-sixth of the total US LNG capacity of 91.25 million tons per annum (mtpa). 

The EOA predicted earlier this year that the US would be the world’s top LNG exporter in 2023, and we expect the country to remain the leading exporter for many years, surpassing Qatar, and Australia.