LNG Tanker Arrives at Golden Pass LNG to Export Inaugural Cargo
The Golden Pass LNG terminal is a liquefied natural gas terminal and regasification facility in Sabine Pass (Port Arthur), Texas. It is among the largest LNG facilities in the world. It can accommodate up to 15.6 million metric tons (MT) of LNG per year, the equivalent of approximately 2 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day (Bcf/d). QatarEnergy, Qatar’s state-owned petroleum company, owns 70% of the Golden Pass LNG project. ExxonMobil owns the other 30%. Sabine Pass sees a tremendous amount of Marcellus/Utica molecules flowing to the region via a couple of pipelines, namely Transco (which flows M-U molecules). Hence, our interest in this major natural gas user’s start-up. The good news is that a ship has docked to load the very first official LNG export cargo. Read More “LNG Tanker Arrives at Golden Pass LNG to Export Inaugural Cargo”
On Monday, President Donald Trump invoked the Defense Production Act (DPA) to channel federal funding toward domestic energy projects, specifically targeting liquefied natural gas (LNG), petroleum, coal power, and grid infrastructure. Empowering the Energy Department to bypass regulatory and financial hurdles, the move aims to curb rising electricity and gasoline costs ahead of the midterm elections while meeting surging power demands from the AI industry. 
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) forecasts U.S. natural gas net exports will keep rising through 2027, driven by expanding LNG capacity and stronger pipeline shipments to Mexico. Net exports are projected to reach 18.7 Bcf/d in 2026 and 20.5 Bcf/d in 2027. LNG exports should average 17.0 Bcf/d in 2026, then climb again in 2027 as new projects, including Corpus Christi, Golden Pass, Port Arthur, and Rio Grande, ramp up. Europe remains the leading destination, while Mexico’s power and LNG growth support pipeline demand. Imports stay minimal, and reduced Canadian imports reflect new Canadian LNG projects and rising Appalachian production serving Northeast markets. 
U.S. natural gas liquids (NGL) exports climbed 7% to 3.1 million barrels per day in 2025, fueled by high domestic production and rising global demand for petrochemical feedstocks. Ethane exports grew 19% due to new international cracker projects, while propane reached a record 1.8 million b/d, supported by significant growth in India. Butane also hit record highs, serving as a vital cooking and industrial fuel in emerging markets like Indonesia and India. While China and Canada remain top destinations, the United States continues to dominate the global market by leveraging low domestic prices to meet diverse international energy needs. NGL exports from the M-U region also hit a new record-high last year. 
Venture Global (VG) and Edison S.p.A., an Italian electric utility company headquartered in Milan, have signed a commercial agreement to fully resolve their pending arbitration regarding the Calcasieu Pass LNG project. Expected to conclude by the end of Q2 2026, the settlement terminates all legal disputes between the companies. As part of the deal, VG will deliver additional LNG cargoes to Europe, specifically targeting the Italian market through the Adriatic LNG Terminal starting in May 2026. This agreement strengthens their long-term partnership and enhances Italy’s energy security amidst global geopolitical disruptions. 
Morningstar DBRS has published an interesting commentary that will be of interest to MDN readers and those with an interest in LNG: “From Risk to Relevance: Middle East Disruption Elevates North American LNG.” The escalating conflict in the Middle East has disrupted global LNG supply, damaged infrastructure in Qatar, and constrained shipping. These developments have heightened buyer concerns around supply security and transit risk, prompting a reassessment of LNG sourcing strategies. As a result, North American LNG has gained strategic relevance (preference), supported by jurisdictional stability and expanding export capacity. 
This one makes us white-hot with anger. Our “cousins” to the north, who have bashed fossil energy repeatedly and have disrespected the Trump administration on numerous occasions, now want to export more of their natural gas to the U.S. so we can use it in our LNG exports to other countries. NO THANKS. You can keep your gas and stick it where the sun doesn’t shine. We have PLENTY of our own gas, and we could extract even more (from the Marcellus/Utica, other plays, too) if we had available pipelines to flow it. We don’t need or want Canadian gas that would displace existing molecules in our limited pipelines. 
We lead with this story about a government regulatory action because of just how important we see this development. For *years* we have railed against the 106-year-old Jones Act and its requirement that any goods (like LNG) that are transported from one U.S. port to another be on a ship manufactured in the U.S., owned by a U.S. company, and crewed by a U.S. crew. The effect of this law in the modern age is to ban LNG (and other shipments, like gasoline, propane, coal, and other products manufactured in the U.S.) from being shipped cheaply from port to port. The U.S. foolishly allowed its ship manufacturing to slip away years ago to South Korea and other countries. We no longer make cargo carriers for LNG and other energy products. We haven’t made them in decades. Yesterday, President Trump signed a 60-day waiver of the Jones Act, allowing certain goods (such as LNG, fertilizer, and coal) to be transported from U.S. port to U.S. port on foreign-owned, foreign-flagged and crewed ships. 
Last summer, Venture Global announced a final investment decision (FID) for “Phase 1” of its Calcasieu Pass 2 (CP2) LNG project (see