On completion of planned projects, U.S. LNG export capacity will be the world’s largest in 2022, said the U.S. Energy Information Administration in its recent report.
Since exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) began from the lower 48 states in February 2016, U.S. LNG export capacity has grown rapidly.
"Within four years, the United States became the world’s third-largest LNG exporter behind only Australia and Qatar," according to the report. "Once the new LNG liquefaction units at Sabine Pass LNG and Calcasieu Pass LNG are placed in service in 2022, U.S. LNG export capacity will become the world’s largest."
The U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) approved an increase in annual LNG production at both the Sabine Pass and Corpus Christi, Texas, facilities by a combined 261 billion cubic feet per year (Bcf/y) or 0.7 Bcf/d (11.5%) through uprates and modifications to maintenance.
Additionally, the newly announced LNG export facility in Calcasieu Pass, located in Louisiana's Cameron Parish, is expected to be placed in service by the fourth quarter of 2022, the report stated. The project consists of 9 blocks, each containing 2 mid-scale modular liquefaction units for a total of 18 liquefaction units with a combined peak capacity of 1.6 Bcf/d.
In 2022, U.S. LNG export capacity will exceed that of the two current largest global LNG exporters, Australia (11.4 Bcf/d) and Qatar (10.3 Bcf/d). By 2024, when Golden Pass LNG—the eighth U.S. LNG export facility—completes construction and begins operations, U.S. LNG peak export capacity will further increase to an estimated 16.3 Bcf/d.
FERC and the U.S. Department of Energy have additionally approved another 10 U.S. LNG export projects and capacity expansions at three existing LNG terminals—Cameron, Freeport, and Corpus Christi—totaling 25 Bcf/d of new capacity. Developers of some of these projects announced plans to make a final investment decision in 2022.
