US LNG Exports Surge Amid High Global Demand
US LNG exports surged by 23% in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period last year, reaching an average of 17.4 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd), according to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA). This increase is largely due to new terminals and expansions increasing export capacity.
The EIA estimates that US LNG exports will average 17.3 bcfd in the second half of 2026, before rising to 18.7 bcfd in the first half of 2027. Two major projects, Plaquemines LNG and Corpus Christi Stage 3, are expected to add a combined 4.0 bcfd of nominal export capacity when complete.
The global demand for LNG remained high throughout the first half of 2026, with disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz contributing to a doubling of US LNG shipments to Asia compared to last year. The average price at Europe's benchmark Title Transfer Facility (TTF) was $14.74/MMbtu, while the Japan-Korea Marker (JKM), the benchmark price for LNG imports into East Asia, averaged $15.56/MMbtu.