EQT Announces Deal to *Buy* LNG from Rio Grande LNG Train 5
Last week, we told you that EQT Corporation announced it had contracted with Sempra’s Port Arthur LNG Phase 2 project in Jefferson County, Texas, to buy 2 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of LNG from the facility for a 20-year term (see EQT Announces Deal to *Buy* LNG from Sempra’s Port Arthur LNG). We also reported (in that post) the rumor that EQT was deep in talks with another facility, NextDecade’s Rio Grande LNG export facility in Texas, to buy LNG. The rumor was true. Yesterday, both EQT and NextDecade announced a signed deal. Read More “EQT Announces Deal to *Buy* LNG from Rio Grande LNG Train 5”
In August 2025, the United States achieved a brand new record high in liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports, exporting 9.33 million metric tons—surpassing April’s previous record of 9.25 million and July’s 9.1 million—as plants returned from maintenance and Venture Global’s Plaquemines facility expanded output. Plaquemines, a 27.2 MTPA plant that began operations in December 2024, contributed 1.6 million tons, or 17% of the total, and is expected to be fully operational in September. Europe took 6.16 million tons (66%, up from 58% in July) amid lower storage levels, while exports to Asia fell to 1.47 million tons. Egypt imported 0.57 million tons, and Latin America’s imports dropped to 0.69 million tons, with 0.37 million tons unallocated. 
We finally have some good news to report regarding the NYMEX futures price of natural gas. The price briefly flirted with $3.00 before closing at $2.94 yesterday. However, the cash (spot) price for gas sold at trading hubs around the Marcellus/Utica region didn’t fare so well. We’ll get to that. The NYMEX price went higher due to a lower-than-expected storage build and strong demand from LNG exports. An analyst interviewed by Reuters said the price moved higher because storage numbers were “a little tighter than estimates, which has sparked some short-covering.” The NYMEX has moved up for the last three trading days, up 24.80 cents (9.20%). The $3 level is an important psychological price point. 
This is a “man bites dog” kind of story. EQT Corporation, now the second-largest natural gas producer in the U.S. (not far behind Expand Energy), has been pushing LNG (liquefied natural gas) for years. Since 2022, we’ve called EQT CEO Toby Rice the “apostle of LNG,” spreading the LNG gospel far and wide in an effort to expand U.S. LNG exports (see 
Glenfarne’s Texas LNG facility in Brownsville, Texas, will have the capacity to export 4 MTPA. EQT Corporation, the largest natural gas producer in the Marcellus/Utica, signed two agreements with Glenfarne to liquefy 2.0 million tons per annum (MTPA) of EQT-extracted shale gas at the facility when it’s built (see 
A Reuters reporter/commentator published an article that chronicles (with lots of facts, statistics, and charts) the coming rapid buildout of both gas-fired power generation and LNG exports in the U.S. He pitches the situation as a coming “clash of the Titans” (our words, but his sentiment). The author believes that the buildout of new gas-fired plants will sop up molecules that would have gone to LNG export plants, setting up a price war for those molecules. (One could only hope!) We have a different perspective. 
The nation’s largest LNG exporter, Cheniere Energy, is sounding the alarm that massive investments in and quick construction of natural gas infrastructure (namely, new pipelines) are needed to feed the LNG beast. LNG exports are due to double, to roughly 30 Bcf/d (billion cubic feet per day) by 2030—just five years away. The pipelines we have now are pretty much maxed out. We need new pipelines, and we need to start building them NOW. 
Earlier today, Reuters published a great article titled “Key US natural gas trends to track as LNG exports hit new highs.” The article is full of terrific charts (and narrative) showing where our LNG is currently going (by country), along with where it has gone historically (by country). The article reveals that over the first 8 months of 2025, total U.S. LNG exports climbed by 22% or by 12.4 million tons from the same months in 2024 to a record 69 million tons. Europe accounted for over two-thirds of U.S. export volumes, followed by Asia. The top three markets were the Netherlands, France, and Spain, which together accounted for 28% of total U.S. LNG shipments so far this year. 
The Trump administration has been a blizzard of activity since it began in January. We absolutely love it. The Trump team has so overwhelmed the radical left that they run in circles chasing their tails. Yet every now and again, the Trump team makes a misstep (in our estimation). We understand that nobody is going to agree 100% with someone else. Not even spouses! But we strongly object to this misstep. Under new mandates proposed by the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), beginning in 2028, a total of 1% of America’s LNG exports must be carried via U.S.-flagged vessels. From 2029 onwards, 1% of U.S. LNG exports should be shipped on U.S.-flagged and U.S.-built vessels.