(Ecofin Agency) – In the middle of the past decade, the country was still a net importer of LNG. This new status has been facilitated by the shale boom which has led to more than 70% growth in supply since 2010, added to colossal investments in gas processing facilities.
At the end of December 2021, US exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) exceeded those of Qatar, making Uncle Sam’s country now the world’s largest exporter of fuel. This, six years after having exported LNG for the first time.
This breakthrough was helped by an increase in production and exports, particularly at the Freeport and Sabine Pass terminals in Louisiana, where a new liquefaction unit went into production at the end of November. In December, the majority of American LNG shipments were exported to Europe, which has been facing an unprecedented supply crisis for several weeks, with historically low stocks.
For the year as a whole, Europe accounted for only a third of total US LNG exports, Asia having absorbed more than half.
While it is possible that the United States will retain its leadership position in this area for a few more years, it is estimated that Qatar’s dominance will be indisputable in the longer term, as the country notably plans to launch a huge export project. , by the end of the 2020s.
It should also be remembered that the USA only slightly overtakes Qatar in terms of LNG exports. This position could quickly be weakened by maintenance work or export difficulties.
According to Muqsit Ashraf, senior managing director of the energy department at Irish consulting firm Accenture, Qatar and the United States will compete to become the world’s largest LNG producers over the decade.
Olivier de Souza
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