Feed gas deliveries for US LNG reach record in first half
Piped deliveries of natural gas to US liquefaction facilities reached a record 12.8bn ft3/day in the first half of 2023, the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) said July 31, citing figures from S&P Global Commodity Insights.
Over the six-month period, feed gas deliveries were 8%, or 1bn ft3/day higher than the 2022 annual average and 4%, or 400mn ft3/day higher than the first half average last year.
The EIA attributed the increase in part to the return to service of the Freeport LNG terminal, the second largest in the US, beginning in February this year. The 15mn tonnes/year facility had been out of service since a June 2022 explosion and fire.
LNG feed gas deliveries reached a monthly record in April 2023, the EIA said, averaging 14bn ft3/day as international demand ramped up to replace Russian piped gas imports to Europe. Deliveries declined slightly in May and June, to 13bn ft3/day and 11.5bn ft3/day, respectively, reflecting maintenance at several export terminals, including Cheniere Energy’s Sabine Pass facility and Sempra’s Cameron LNG terminal, both in Louisiana.
US LNG exports are expected to average 12bn ft3/day this year and 13.3bn ft3/day in 2024, the EIA said, as two new terminals, the brownfield 18mn tonnes/year Golden Pass LNG terminal in Texas (the first 6mn tonnes/year train is expected to enter service in H1 2024) and Venture Global’s 20mn tonnes/year Plaquemines LNG terminal in Louisiana enter service.
Feed gas deliveries to LNG facilities are typically higher than LNG exports – by about 14% - the EIA said, largely because most US liquefaction trains use a portion of feed gas to power compression and liquefaction equipment. Only Freeport LNG uses electricity to drive refrigerant compressors.