JERA Expands U.S. Footprint With $1.5 Billion Haynesville Shale Acquisition

Charles Kennedy  Thu, October 23, 2025  Oilprice.com

JERA Co. Inc., Japan’s largest power generation company, announced plans to acquire full ownership of the South Mansfield shale gas asset in Louisiana’s Haynesville Basin through its U.S. subsidiary JERA Americas Inc., in a $1.5 billion deal with Williams and GEP Haynesville II. The acquisition underscores JERA’s growing role in the U.S. energy sector and strengthens its global LNG value chain.

The Haynesville acquisition includes assets currently producing more than 500 million cubic feet of gas per day (MMscfd) across 210 square kilometers, with 200 undeveloped drilling locations and established infrastructure for gathering and transportation. JERA plans to double total output to 1 billion cubic feet per day (Bscfd) through future investments, leveraging the asset’s proximity to the Gulf Coast’s LNG terminals and data center markets.

The deal comes amid JERA’s strategic expansion across the United States, where it now holds interests in ten power generation assets and has committed to major energy transition projects, including the Blue Point low-carbon ammonia development. Earlier this year, JERA signed what it called the largest single-buyer U.S. LNG offtake agreement—5.5 million tonnes per year for 20 years—further anchoring its position as one of the world’s largest LNG buyers.

John O’Brien, CEO of JERA Americas, described the acquisition as a “strategic addition” that enhances JERA’s upstream portfolio and “deepens our commitment to America’s energy future.” Ryosuke Tsugaru, JERA’s Chief Low Carbon Fuel Officer, said the investment bolsters diversification and mitigates market risk while aligning with the company’s goal of providing stable, secure, and lower-carbon energy.

Founded in 2015 as a joint venture between Tokyo Electric Power and Chubu Electric Power, JERA now supplies roughly one-third of Japan’s electricity. The company has pledged to achieve net-zero CO? emissions across its global operations by 2050.

The Haynesville deal, which remains subject to regulatory approval and standard closing conditions, positions JERA among a growing cohort of Asian energy firms expanding upstream exposure in North America to secure long-term gas supply amid volatile global markets.