CNG/LNG

CNG/LNG | Exporting | Industrywide Issues

Calcasieu Pass LNG Open for Business After Shipping 400+ Cargoes
April 16, 2025April 16, 2025

After liquefying and exporting over 400 cargoes of LNG from March 1, 2022, through this month, Venture Global says its Calcasieu Pass (CP) LNG export facility in Louisiana is now officially open for business—three years after it began shipping LNG. Venture Global claimed the CP facility was not commercially ready until now. Venture Global has been selling cargo after cargo of LNG on the open “spot” market, making two, three, or four times the money it could make by selling the cargoes to its legally contracted customers at a predetermined price. At last count, Venture Global has made over $20 billion by selling cargoes on the open spot market. Read More “Calcasieu Pass LNG Open for Business After Shipping 400+ Cargoes”
CNG/LNG | Energy Services | Energy Transfer Partners | Exporting | Industrywide Issues

MidOcean Partners with Energy Transfer on Lake Charles LNG Exports
April 10, 2025April 10, 2025

Just as the pandemic began to unfold in early 2020, Shell pulled out of a 50/50 joint venture partnership with Energy Transfer (ET) to build a new LNG export facility in Lake Charles, Louisiana (see Shell Pulls Out of Lake Charles LNG Project, Energy Transfer Stays). A boneheaded move on Shell’s part, if you ask us. Since that time, ET has continued to build support for the project. Last December, ET announced a new customer for its LNG when/if the plant gets built: Chevron (see Energy Transfer’s Lake Charles LNG Still Alive – Deal w/Chevron). We have excellent news: ET announced it has a new partner, MidOcean Energy, that will cover 30% of the cost of building the plant. In return, MidOcean will receive 30% of the plant’s LNG. Read More “MidOcean Partners with Energy Transfer on Lake Charles LNG Exports”
CNG/LNG | Exporting | Industrywide Issues | Regulation

FERC OKs CP LNG to Begin “Commercial” Ops After 400+ Cargoes Shipped
April 7, 2025April 7, 2025

After liquefying and exporting over 400 cargoes of LNG from March 1, 2022, through today, Venture Global says its Calcasieu Pass (CP) LNG export facility, located in Louisiana, is finally “ready” to begin “commercial” operations….on April 15th. Nearly three years after it began shipping LNG. Venture Global claimed the CP facility was not commercially ready until now. Last Thursday, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) gave its blessing to Venture Global to start commercial operations as of April 15, meaning the company will now have to ship cargoes to its *contracted customers.* Finally. Read More “FERC OKs CP LNG to Begin “Commercial” Ops After 400+ Cargoes Shipped”
CNG/LNG | Exporting | Industrywide Issues | Research

New LNG Export Startups Affect EIA NatGas Forecasting Models
April 4, 2025April 4, 2025

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), U.S. exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) represent the largest source of natural gas demand growth this year. LNG gross exports are expected to increase by 19% to 14.2 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in 2025 and by 15% to 16.4 Bcf/d in 2026. The start-up timing of two new LNG export facilities—Plaquemines LNG Phase 2 (consisting of 18 midscale trains) and Golden Pass LNG—could significantly affect EIA’s forecasting because these facilities represent 19% of incremental U.S. LNG export capacity in 2025–26. Read More “New LNG Export Startups Affect EIA NatGas Forecasting Models”
CNG/LNG | Exporting | Industrywide Issues

US LNG Exports Hit New Monthly High in March, Smashing Old Record
April 3, 2025April 3, 2025

Another record bites the dust. According to data from LSEG, the U.S. exported a record high amount of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in March, selling 9.3 million metric tons (MT). The previous record was 8.6 MT in December 2023. March’s record “smashed” the old record, and there’s no sign that the higher volumes will retreat. There’s no going back! Read More “US LNG Exports Hit New Monthly High in March, Smashing Old Record”
CNG/LNG | Exporting | Industrywide Issues | Regulation

US LNG Producers Still Playing Footsie with EU re Methane Regs
April 1, 2025April 1, 2025

The European Union’s idiotic methane regulations will be enforced beginning this year. Domestic (European) oil, gas, and coal companies must monitor, measure, and report their emissions. The same restrictions apply to energy imports from other countries, including the U.S. (see Europeans Presume to Impose Their Regulations on American Gas). The arrogant Europeans presume to tell us that we must follow *their* regulations! As we previously reported, our drillers appear intent on complying with the Euro weenies because our exporters want to sell LNG to them (see U.S. LNG Exporters Continue Strict Methane Regs Despite Rollbacks). Playing footsie with Europe continues, according to the president and CEO of LNG Allies, a trade group representing U.S. LNG exporters. Read More “US LNG Producers Still Playing Footsie with EU re Methane Regs”
CNG/LNG | Exporting | Industrywide Issues

Rest of the Story re U.S. Jones Act LNG Carrier Serving Puerto Rico
March 26, 2025March 26, 2025

Last week, MDN brought you the great news that Crowley, the largest shipping company in the U.S., launched what is the very first Jones Act-compliant LNG carrier to ferry LNG from the Gulf Coast to Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory (see Crowley Launches 1st U.S. Jones Act LNG Carrier to Serve Puerto Rico). Until now, P.R. has had to import its LNG from other countries. The Jones Act requires any ship running between U.S. ports to be built, crewed, and flagged in the U.S. However, the ship Crowley is now using was built in France! So, how does it qualify under the Jones Act? This is “The Rest of the Story,” as the late, great Paul Harvey used to say. Read More “Rest of the Story re U.S. Jones Act LNG Carrier Serving Puerto Rico”
CNG/LNG | Exporting | Industrywide Issues | Regulation

U.S. LNG Exporters Continue Strict Methane Regs Despite Rollbacks
March 21, 2025March 21, 2025

U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporters plan to continue to monitor and curb their methane emissions despite President Trump’s plans to roll back EPA climate regulations (see EPA Launches Biggest Deregulatory Action in U.S. History, Favors O&G). Why? They seek to meet the standards of overseas import markets. Among recent actions by the EPA is the rollback of a requirement for companies to report their annual emissions of the so-called greenhouse gas methane and a decision to review the so-called “endangerment finding,” the legal foundation for all U.S. climate regulation that identifies “greenhouse gases” as pollutants. Read More “U.S. LNG Exporters Continue Strict Methane Regs Despite Rollbacks”
CNG/LNG | Exporting | Industrywide Issues | Regulation

DOE Grants CP2 LNG (La.) Approval to Export to Non-FTA Countries
March 20, 2025March 20, 2025

Yesterday, Venture Global received approval from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) to non-FTA countries for its third project, CP2 LNG, in Cameron Parish, Louisiana. Venture Global is working through a final investment decision (FID) to proceed with the project. The DOE approval is a key milestone for the project, a project that, in all likelihood, will use at least some Marcellus/Utica molecules. However, there are miles to go before it gets built, comes online, and then begins to honor its customer contracts. YEARS. Read More “DOE Grants CP2 LNG (La.) Approval to Export to Non-FTA Countries”
CNG/LNG | Exporting | Industrywide Issues | Regulation

Trump DOE to Carefully Deal with Biden DOE’s Sham LNG Report
March 20, 2025March 20, 2025

Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) issued its approval for Venture Global’s Calcasieu Pass (CP) 2 LNG export project (see our story today, DOE Grants CP2 LNG (La.) Approval to Export to Non-FTA Countries). The DOE is ramping up and will likely approve many more projects. However, there is a problem: a hidden “landmine” left behind by the Biden DOE on its way out the door, meant to be used by Big Green in opposing Trump’s DOE actions. The landmine is a sham “study” on LNG and climate change issued by the Bidenistas (see Biden/Granholm DOE Releases Garbage Anti-LNG Exports “Study”). Read More “Trump DOE to Carefully Deal with Biden DOE’s Sham LNG Report”
CNG/LNG | Exporting | Industrywide Issues

Crowley Launches 1st U.S. Jones Act LNG Carrier to Serve Puerto Rico
March 19, 2025June 20, 2025

Crowley’s American Energy, the first U.S. LNG carrier to transport U.S.-sourced natural gas to Puerto Rico.

This is a big deal. Shipping giant Crowley, with over 170 vessels mostly in the Jones Act fleet and approximately 7,000 employees around the world (employs more U.S. mariners than any other company), announced it has launched a Jones Act-compliant LNG carrier, U.S.-built and crewed, that will carry LNG from Gulf Coast export facilities to Puerto Rico (P.R.). Since P.R. is a U.S. territory, any U.S. LNG arriving on its shore must be transported on an American crewed and built ship to comply with the century-old Jones Act. Otherwise, the LNG must come from another country. Yeah, screwed up, royally. But, now, there is one ship that can carry LNG from the U.S. to P.R. Finally! Read More “Crowley Launches 1st U.S. Jones Act LNG Carrier to Serve Puerto Rico”
CNG/LNG | Exporting | Industrywide Issues | Research

Research Shows Cove Point LNG Lowered Global GHG Emissions 7 MMt/Yr
March 19, 2025March 19, 2025

Earlier this month, MDN reported that S&P Global had released Phase 2 of an LNG study that shows U.S. LNG capacity additions would *significantly* lower global GHG emissions compared to the alternatives (see S&P Study: U.S. LNG Would “Significantly Lower” World GHG Emissions). Phase 1 of the study (last December) found more U.S. LNG exports will NOT raise the domestic price of natural gas, at least not appreciably (see S&P Study: More U.S. LNG Exports WON’T Raise Domestic Gas Prices). The good folks at Cove Point LNG sent MDN a copy of a study the owners commissioned specifically looking at the environmental impact of Cove Point. Rather than use modeling, Cove Point engaged ICF to look at the data from the facility’s first five years of exports, including the source of the gas, where it was shipped, and how it was used (often to offset coal and oil). The results (full report below) are tremendous! Read More “Research Shows Cove Point LNG Lowered Global GHG Emissions 7 MMt/Yr”
CNG/LNG | Exporting | Industrywide Issues | Research

Biden Admin ‘Intentionally Buried’ Study Favorable to LNG Exports
March 19, 2025March 19, 2025

An explosive expose appearing on the Daily Caller website confirms rumors from last year that the Biden Department of Energy “intentionally buried” a final draft version of a study that would have undermined its January 2024 decision to pause approvals for liquefied natural gas (LNG) export projects. Last October, we brought you the rumor that a study had been circulated at DOE that shows LNG is NOT bad for the environment and was subsequently covered up (see Biden-Harris DOE Covering Up Study Conducted Before LNG “Pause”). DOE personnel, speaking with the Daily Caller, confirm it happened. Read More “Biden Admin ‘Intentionally Buried’ Study Favorable to LNG Exports”
CNG/LNG | Exporting | Industrywide Issues

Freeport LNG Trains 2 & 3 Go Offline Yet Again, Quick Restart
March 12, 2025March 12, 2025

Up/down, up/down, up/down, up/down… We can’t count how many times the Freeport LNG export facility has come online to go offline again, with the cycle repeating (see our MANY stories about the uneven Freeport here). It’s become kind of a joke. Except, it’s no joke. Freeport is (still, for now) the country’s second-largest LNG export plant, with a capacity to liquefy 2.1 Bcf/d (billion cubic feet per day) of natural gas. Some of that gas comes from the Marcellus/Utica, which is why we care about the upness and downness of this facility. Two of the facility’s three trains “tripped off” last week. They were restarted “quickly,” but the outage contributed to a decrease in feedgas flows for LNG export. Read More “Freeport LNG Trains 2 & 3 Go Offline Yet Again, Quick Restart”
CNG/LNG | Exporting | Industrywide Issues | Research

S&P Study: U.S. LNG Would “Significantly Lower” World GHG Emissions
March 7, 2025March 7, 2025

The nonpartisan S&P Global released Phase 1 of a study on LNG exports last December on the very same day the Biden/Granholm Department of Energy released its LNG export “study” (see S&P Study: More U.S. LNG Exports WON’T Raise Domestic Gas Prices). The S&P study, which came out a few hours earlier than the DOE study, said more U.S. LNG exports will NOT raise the domestic price of natural gas, at least not appreciably. The Biden-corrupted DOE report said the opposite, that more LNG exports will cause domestic natural gas prices to go through the roof (and consequently, we shouldn’t build more LNG export facilities). Thank God nobody listened to that claptrap. S&P is back with Phase 2 of their comprehensive LNG study. Phase 2 (full copy below) says U.S. LNG capacity additions would *significantly* lower GHG emissions compared to alternatives. Read More “S&P Study: U.S. LNG Would “Significantly Lower” World GHG Emissions”
CNG/LNG | Exporting | Industrywide Issues | Regulation

Europe Begins to Back Down from Imposing Their Regs on Our LNG
March 6, 2025March 6, 2025

The European Union’s idiotic methane regulations will be enforced beginning this year. Domestic (European) oil, gas, and coal companies must monitor, measure and report their emissions. The same restrictions would apply to energy imports from other countries, including the U.S. (see Europeans Presume to Impose Their Regulations on American Gas). The arrogant Europeans presume to tell us that we must follow *their* regulations! But then Trump took command of the White House and everything changed. Read More “Europe Begins to Back Down from Imposing Their Regs on Our LNG”