A Decade After First Sabine Pass Cargo, US LNG Exports Hit 15 Bcf/D

US EIA data show exports rising from 0.5 Bcf/D in 2016 to 15 Bcf/D in 2025, positioning the US as the world’s largest LNG exporter with further capacity growth expected next year.

February 25, 2026  By JPT Staff Journal of Petroleum Technology

It has been 10 years since the first shipment of liquefied natural gas (LNG) departed the Sabine Pass terminal in Cameron Parish, Louisiana, marking the beginning of the US rise to become the world’s largest LNG exporter.

The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) recognized the anniversary on 24 February, noting that US LNG exports have increased from 0.5 Bcf/D in 2016 to 15 Bcf/D in 2025, placing the country ahead of Australia and Qatar. The EIA projects exports will reach 18.1 Bcf/D in 2027.

Growth in US LNG exports has been driven by abundant domestic natural gas supply, flexible export contracts, and relatively low feed-gas costs. Rising international demand and a favorable investment climate have also supported the expansion of LNG infrastructure.

Before Sabine Pass began exports, US LNG shipments were limited. The first LNG cargo to cross the Atlantic departed in 1959, but the journey proved uneconomic. A small export terminal in Kenai, Alaska, with a capacity of 0.2 Bcf/D, operated from 1969 to 2011 and shipped nearly 1,300 cargoes to Japan.

The Sabine Pass LNG terminal, operated by Cheniere Energy, began service as an import facility in 2008. However, rapid growth in US shale gas production in the mid-2000s prompted the operator to convert import infrastructure into export capacity.

On 24 February 2016, the first export cargo of the US shale era departed aboard the Asia Vision for Brazil, carrying 3.3 Bcf of LNG. Since then, Sabine Pass has shipped more than 3,300 cargoes worldwide, representing 39% of all US export cargoes through November 2025, according to data from the US Department of Energy.

“A decade ago, we started something transformative—producing and exporting LNG at scale from the US Gulf Coast,” Jack Fusco, Cheniere’s president and CEO, said in a statement. “10 years and nearly 5,000 cargoes later, we continue to lead the way, and our commitment to safety, our people, customers and communities is stronger than ever.”

The US now has eight operational LNG export terminals. By 2031, the EIA expects export capacity to nearly double compared with December 2025 levels as new LNG projects come online.

The most recent expansion is Cheniere’s Corpus Christi LNG facility, which shipped its first cargo in March 2025. Golden Pass LNG near Port Arthur, Texas, jointly owned by ExxonMobil and Qatar Energy, is expected to ship its first cargo in early 2026.

The EIA also noted a shift in export destinations following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. From 2017 through 2021, Asia received an average of 46% of US LNG exports. In 2022, Europe’s share rose to 69%, up from 34% in 2021. From January through November 2025, Europe received 68% of US LNG exported volumes.