Lithuania Purchases American Natural Gas
While American natural gas production continues to grow here at home, the reaches of our energy exports have expanded around the globe. We have highlighted previously about the importance of American energy exports, particularly to European countries. Shipping more of our liquid natural gas (LNG) to Europe helps strengthen our geopolitical relationship and national security interests across the globe.
Just west of the Russian border, and only a few hundred miles from Moscow, Lithuania has become one of the first countries in the region to purchase American liquefied natural gas. In doing so, they have taken an important political stand; importing Russian gas would likely be more economically advantageous. Yet they chose to purchase American natural gas, aligning themselves with the United States.
“We want to cement our relationship with the United States in many aspects in addition to defense and security, [and the] energy trade is one of the strategic areas for cooperation,” Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius said.
Lithuania has the option to purchase natural gas from the United States because of our growing ability to export because of increased development and an overabundance here in the states. Without proper infrastructure throughout the United States, we would be unable to bring this important energy source to our allies around the world, and they would be forced to rely on unfriendly allies.
The GAIN coalition is excited to see America sharing its abundant natural resources with our friends and allies, and we hope to see pipeline infrastructure continue to expand so we’re able to bring more and more to the international markets.