US exported more LNG than any other nation in first half of 2023
The United States exported more liquefied natural gas (LNG) than any other country in the first half of 2023 (1H23), according to data from CEDIGAZ, amid strong global demand particularly from Europe.
US LNG exports averaged 11.6 billion cubic feet per day during this period, 4 per cent more than in the first half of 2022, according to data from the US Department of Energy’s LNG Reports.
A liquid natural gas tanker at the Cheniere LNG terminal near Sabine Pass, Louisiana. NYT
Australia exported the world’s second-largest volume of LNG in the six months ended June, averaging 10.6 Bcf/d, followed by Qatar at 10.4 Bcf/d.
The increase in US LNG exports mainly resulted from Freeport LNG’s return to service as global LNG demand remained strong with continuing growth, particularly in Europe.
US exports are expected to continue to rise, reflecting a surge in investment that could double its LNG capacity beyond 2025. Australia is expected to reset its 2022 LNG export volume record this year, and then see exports ease over 2024 and 2025.
The latest volume data was released by the US Energy Information Administration.
Bloomberg News reported overnight that China is looking to stock up on gas for its winter, a move that could put further pressure on global supply and prices. Unipec, the trading arm of Sinopec, released a tender to purchase more than a dozen shipments for this winter, in addition to deliveries through the end of 2024, traders told Bloomberg.
The EIA also said as in 2022, European countries and the UK remained the main destination for US LNG exports through June, accounting for 67 per cent of total US exports.
Five countries—the Netherlands, the UK, France, Spain, and Germany—imported more than one-half of total US
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