The United States’ liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports averaged 17.4 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) during the first half of the year, marking a 23% increase compared to the same period in 2025.
Sea-news.az reports citing data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), that the upward trajectory is expected to continue. The EIA projects U.S. LNG exports to average 17.3 Bcf/d in the second half of this year and climb to 18.7 Bcf/d in the first half of 2027.
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has severely disrupted global energy flows, directly redirecting trade routes. Consequently, U.S. LNG shipments to Asia doubled in the first half of the year compared to the previous year, while total export volumes to both Europe and Asia experienced substantial overall growth.
This expansion has been supercharged by the commissioning of new production terminals and capacity expansions at existing facilities, marking the fastest export growth pace since the U.S. launched large-scale LNG exports in 2016.
Energy analysts warn that with European natural gas storage levels remaining below seasonal averages, prolonged supply cutoffs from the Middle East could expose the continent to severe price volatility during the winter months.
Because the Strait of Hormuz blockade has effectively choked off regional LNG flows, European buyers are locking into aggressive competition for alternative U.S. LNG cargoes ahead of the heating season. Although immediate cooling-related gas demand has eased slightly across Europe and Asia this week, structurally low storage levels and Middle East supply risks are driving European buyers to submit higher, fiercely competitive bids for U.S. supplies.
