U.S. LNG: Full Steam Ahead in the Last Year
Major investment decisions, projects getting built, some starting up, and important long-term deals being signed.
The past year has been packed with action in the U.S. Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) scene. From May 2024 to May 2025, we saw major investment decisions, projects getting built, some starting up, and important long-term deals being signed. It really shows that the U.S. is serious about growing its ability to send natural gas overseas.
A big reason for the faster pace lately seems to be changes in government support, especially from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) under the new Secretary, Chris Wright, who came on board in early 2025. Since then, the DOE has been active in approving projects and making it easier for them to stay on track.
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Let's look at some of the key projects and what they've been up to:
Cheniere Energy
A major player in the U.S. LNG export market with existing facilities and new ones coming online.
Corpus Christi Stage 3 (CCL Stage 3): Located near Corpus Christi, Texas, this project is adding over 10 million tonnes per year (MTPA) of production capacity. In the last year, the project reached a big moment by producing its first LNG in December 2024 and getting a large part of its first section substantially finished by March 2025.
Sabine Pass Expansion: This is a planned expansion at Cheniere's existing terminal in Louisiana, looking to add up to 20 MTPA of capacity. They received a key regulatory nod in October 2024 allowing them to export LNG to countries that have a free trade agreement with the U.S.
Read more here.
Woodside Energy
This company made one of the biggest financial commitments of the year.
Louisiana LNG Project: This project in Louisiana, formerly known as Lake Charles LNG, got its final investment decision (FID) in April 2025. This means they are committing a massive $17.5 billion to build the facility, which will have 16.5 MTPA of capacity and is aiming for first production in 2029. It's the first major new U.S. greenfield (meaning, built from scratch) LNG project to reach FID since 2023.
Read more about this project here.
Venture Global LNG
This company has a few projects in various stages of development.
Calcasieu Pass: Located in Louisiana with a capacity of 10 MTPA, this facility reached a key operational stage by starting full commercial operations in April 2025.
Plaquemines LNG: Also in Louisiana, this facility is planned for 20 MTPA total capacity. Phase 1 of the project achieved first LNG production in December 2024 and has been increasing its output.
CP2 LNG: A proposed project also in Louisiana, expected to have capacity of around 20 MTPA. This project received a crucial export authorization from the DOE in March 2025, with the direct involvement of Secretary Chris Wright. Shortly after, in May 2025, they secured a $3.0 billion loan to help fund development towards a final investment decision.
Read more about the CP2 project here.
Commonwealth LNG
Developing a 9.5 MTPA export terminal on the Calcasieu River in Louisiana.
Commonwealth LNG Project: This project received a significant conditional export authorization from the DOE in February 2025. This approval was highlighted by the DOE as the first of its kind under Secretary Chris Wright's leadership, signaling a renewed focus on enabling LNG exports. Following this regulatory step, Commonwealth announced major long-term deals in May 2025 to sell LNG to a large Asian buyer and also finalized a deal with Glencore.
Golden Pass LNG
A large, $10 billion export project currently under construction in Sabine Pass, Texas, a partnership between QatarEnergy and ExxonMobil.
Golden Pass LNG Project: Designed to have capacity of up to 18 MTPA. A key development for this project was receiving an extension from the DOE in March 2025, signed by Secretary Chris Wright, which provides important flexibility in its construction timeline.
Check out my Substack article for more information here.
Delfin LNG
This project takes a different approach, planning to use offshore floating LNG (FLNG) vessels off the coast of Louisiana, with a potential capacity of up to 13.2 MTPA.
Delfin LNG Project: The project involves using floating units for liquefaction and export. Delfin also received an export permit extension from the DOE in March 2025, approved by Secretary Chris Wright. A significant step for this offshore project was receiving its Deepwater Port License from the U.S. Maritime Administration in March 2025.
The activity highlights strong momentum in the U.S. LNG sector, driven by global demand and supported by recent regulatory actions. With projects starting up, new ones getting built, and others moving closer to final investment decisions, the U.S. is clearly on a path to significantly increase its LNG export capacity in the coming years.
Want to read more in-depth on this topic? Check out my full-length white paper here.