Mexico, South Korea and China are the biggest buyers of liquefied natural gas (LNG) produced from US shale gas, according to the data from the Department of Energy.
These three countries took almost half of the total LNG volumes that have been produced at Cheniere’s Sabine liquefaction plant in the period from February 2016 to December last year, the data shows.
For the year of 2017, US LNG exports surged to 13.1 million tonnes from 3.1 million tones in 2016 as Train 3 and 4 started producing the chilled fuel at Sabine Pass.
There are currently four 0.6-Bcfd liquefaction trains operating at Sabine Pass, and a fifth is under construction and expected to enter service in mid-2019.
Last year also saw Asia becoming the preferred destination of US LNG.
Asia Oceania absorbed the largest share or 43% percent of US LNG volumes in 2017 while nearby markets of South America and Mexico still accounted for 31% of US LNG deliveries, the international association for natural gas, Cedigaz said in a report.
The US transitioned to a net exporter of natural gas in 2017 boosted by LNG exports, according to the Energy Information Administration.
US LNG exports will continue to rise this year as Dominion plans to launch its Cove Point facility in March bringing the total number of LNG export facilities to two.
EIA previously said it estimates US LNG exports will average 3.0 Bcf/d in 2018, up from 1.9 Bcf/d in 2017.
The agency projects LNG exports to average 4.8 Bcf/d in 2019 as more facilities come online.
LNG World News Staff