US LNG Industry Poised for Record Growth as Exports Surge to Asia

The US liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry has experienced significant growth in recent years, driven by the country's shale revolution. In 2025, the US became the world's largest LNG exporter, surpassing Qatar as the leading supplier of LNG to Asia. According to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA), the country exported over 15 billion cubic feet per day (bcf/d) or 111 million metric tonnes of LNG in 2025.

Asian markets are driving this growth, with countries such as South Korea, Japan, India, and China taking a significant share of US LNG exports. In fact, these countries accounted for around 40% of all US LNG available in the competitive spot market at the height of the Iran war in March and April.

The US is poised to continue leading global LNG supply, with Shell's 2026 LNG Outlook predicting that it will account for more than one-third of global LNG supply by the early 2030s. The country's export capacity is expected to increase significantly, with the EIA projecting an additional 13.3 bcf/d by 2030.

Investors are taking notice of this trend, with foreign equity investors backing around 80% of peak export capacity from currently operational US LNG export facilities. This includes major players such as QatarEnergy, Japan's JERA and JAPEX, Australia's Woodside Energy, Saudi Aramco, Abu Dhabi's state-owned energy company ADNOC, and European majors Shell and TotalEnergies.