US to double LNG export capacity by 2030: OIES

The OIES expects the US to dominate global growth in LNG supply through 2030.

The Oxford Institute for Energy Studies (OIES) expects the United States to dominate global growth in liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply through 2030, supported by major expansion plans that could nearly double the country’s export capacity by the end of the decade.

In a study published this month, the institute said a wave of new US projects under development will make the country the most influential player in the LNG market, with its share of additional supply outpacing that of all major producers.

Current US LNG production capacity stands at 106 million tons per year (mtpa). Ongoing expansion projects will add about 98.5 mtpa by early 2030, with further investment expected to increase capacity by another 61 mtpa in the early 2030s, the study said.

The expansion would effectively double US LNG export capacity by 2031, driven by rising Asian demand and a rebound in electricity consumption to power artificial-intelligence data centers, according to the report.

However, the study warned that cyclical volatility in the gas sector could put financial pressure on US producers in the coming years, potentially delaying planned projects.