U.S. Resumes LNG Export Permit Approvals, Boosting Energy Industry

HOUSTON - President Donald Trump has reversed the moratorium on new liquefied natural gas (LNG) export permits imposed by former President Joe Biden in 2024. This move is part of an effort to enhance U.S. energy production.

Biden halted new approvals while a study on the environmental and economic impacts of the LNG industry was conducted. However, despite the moratorium, U.S. LNG output was still projected to double.

Before Biden's suspension, the government had already approved projects that would increase U.S. LNG capacity to 200 million tonnes per annum (MPTA) from approximately 90 MPTA. These projects remained unaffected by the moratorium.

Trump's administration's new permits are anticipated to boost export capacity from 2030 onward, as LNG plants require several years to construct.

The United States is the leading global LNG exporter, having shipped 88.3 million tonnes in 2024. Three new plants are expected to add nearly 50 MPTA to U.S. capacity this year alone.

Venture Global's Plaquemines LNG plant in Louisiana and Cheniere Energy's Corpus Christi Stage 3 expansion are both under construction and commenced LNG production in December 2024.

The ExxonMobil and QatarEnergy joint venture, Golden Pass LNG Texas, is also projected to begin LNG production in 2025, with an eventual capacity of 18.1 MTPA.

Projects that were previously impacted by the permit moratorium and may now progress due to Trump's decision include:

Texas:
- Sempra Infrastructure's Port Arthur expansion (13 MTPA)
- Cheniere Energy's Corpus Christi 8 and 9 (3 MTPA)

Louisiana:
- Commonwealth LNG (9.5 MTPA)
- Venture Global LNG's CP2 project (20 MTPA)
- Energy Transfer's Lake Charles LNG facility (15.5 MTPA)
- Glenfarne Group's Magnolia LNG (8.8 MTPA)
- Gulfstream LNG (4.2 MTPA)
- Argent LNG (25 MTPA)

Several plants with existing DOE export permits are seeking approvals to expand their capacity, including Venture Global LNG's Plaquemines and Calcasieu Pass plants, and Kinder Morgan's Elba Island LNG plant.

Additional projects in earlier development stages that could benefit from the resumed permit processing include:

Texas:
- EOS FLNG
- Barca LNG

Louisiana:
- CE FLNG
- Main Pass Energy Hub FLNG
- Monkey Island LNG

In Mexico, the Mexico Pacific LNG project in Saguaro, which liquefies U.S. gas, also requires DOE approval. New Fortress Energy's Altamira FLNG plant on Mexico's Pacific coast was the sole project granted permission to export to nations outside free trade agreements during the suspension.