U.S. Natural Gas Exports Expected to Nearly Double by Next Year: EIA

Net U.S. natural gas exports more than doubled in 2019, compared with 2018, and are projected to almost double again by 2021 from 2019 levels, according to a Jan. 23 report from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Growth in net exports is largely driven by increases in liquefied natural gas shipments and pipeline exports to Mexico. The U.S. has been a net exporter of LNG since 2016 shipping to more than 30 countries.

• Natural gas exports will surpass imports by an average 7.3 billion cubic feet per day in 2020 and 8.9 Bcf/d in 2021. 
• Natural gas deliveries to U.S. LNG export facilities and by pipeline to Mexico accounted for 12 percent of dry natural gas production in 2019.
• Net U.S. natural gas imports from Canada have steadily declined in the past four years as new supplies from Appalachia into the Midwestern states have displaced some pipeline imports from Canada.
• U.S. pipeline exports to Mexico increased following expansions of cross-border pipeline capacity, averaging 5.1 Bcf/d from January through October 2019, 0.5 Bcf/d more than the 2018 annual average.
• U.S. LNG exports averaged 5 Bcf/d in 2019, 2 Bcf/d more than in 2018, as a result of several new facilities that placed their first trains in service.
• Growth in LNG exports is projected to continue, averaging 6.5 Bcf/d in 2020 and 7.7 Bcf/d in 2021, as facilities gradually ramp up to full production.