In its December 2020 ‘Short-Term Energy Outlook’, the EIA estimated that November US LNG exports reached 9.4 billion ft3/d, which was 93% of peak LNG export capacity utilisation.
Several factors contributed to the increase in US LNG exports in recent months. International natural gas and LNG prices increased in Asia and Europe because global natural gas demand increased after COVID-19 restrictions were eased and global LNG supply fell due to unplanned outages at LNG export facilities in Australia, Malaysia, Qatar, Norway, Nigeria, and Trinidad and Tobago.
In addition, 2.7 billion ft3/d of new US LNG export capacity was added in 2020, and several US LNG terminals affected by hurricanes and annual maintenance have resumed LNG shipments.
