U.S. liquefied natural gas exports set new records in 2025 as new capacity came online and existing terminals ran at high utilization, pushing annual shipments past levels previously thought years away.
Preliminary data from LSEG show the United States exported 111 million metric tons of LNG last year, making it the first country to surpass the 100-million-ton threshold in a single year. That volume puts U.S. exports nearly 20 million tons ahead of Qatar and about 23 million tons above 2024 levels, reinforcing the country’s position as the world’s largest LNG supplier.
The growth was driven primarily by new projects entering service and a rapid ramp-up at recently commissioned facilities. Plaquemines LNG shipped 16.4 million tons in 2025 after starting exports at the end of last year, according to LSEG data. U.S. export terminals remained highly utilized through most of the year, with December exports reaching a record 11.5 million tons.
Europe remained the dominant destination for U.S. LNG as the region continued to replace Russian gas and manage winter demand. About 9 million tons were shipped to Europe in December alone. Turkey sharply increased its purchases late in the year, buying more U.S. LNG in December than the entire Asian market. Asia took 1.23 million tons during the month, while Egypt remained a notable buyer amid domestic supply shortages.
The scale of the shift is difficult to overstate. In less than a decade, the United States has moved from no LNG exports to supplying roughly a quarter of global trade. The approach — flexible contracts, free-on-board pricing, and access to abundant shale gas — has made U.S. cargoes increasingly attractive to buyers seeking supply security.
More capacity is set to come online in 2026. Plaquemines is targeting full output, several smaller projects are still ramping up, and the first train at Golden Pass LNG is expected to begin production later this year.
By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com
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