EIA: US natural gas net trade is growing as annual LNG exports exceed pipeline exports
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) recently forecasted that U.S. natural gas exports will exceed imports by an average of 11.0 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in 2021, or almost 50% more than the 2020 average of 7.5 Bcf/d. The EIA reports “increases in liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports and in pipeline exports to Mexico are driving this growth in U.S. natural gas exports.”
In 2020, natural gas exported accounted for 23% of total U.S. energy exports, while U.S. LNG exports have grown as the nation has added additional export capacity and expanded its LNG export destinations.
EIA expects U.S. natural gas exports to continue to grow throughout the next year, playing a key role in providing reliable, affordable, and cleaner-burning fuels for our allies around the globe. This continued growth has been made possible by burgeoning development in the Permian and Marcellus formations, as well as critical investments in energy infrastructure.
