U.S. LNG Exports Surge 23% Amid Global Price Hikes
U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports surged to new heights in the first half of 2026, reaching a record high of 17.4 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d), a 23% increase from the same period last year.
The significant boost in LNG exports is attributed to higher capacity at existing terminals and the startup production at new terminals such as Plaquemines LNG and Corpus Christi Stage 3, which together increased nominal U.S. export capacity by 4.0 Bcf/d when complete.
Global LNG prices remained high throughout the first half of this year, with the average price at Europe's benchmark Title Transfer Facility in the Netherlands reaching $14.74 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) and the Japan-Korea Marker price hitting a four-year high of $15.56/MMBtu.
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz earlier this year also led to increased U.S. LNG shipments to Asia, with exports doubling compared to last year.