U.S. Becomes First Nation to Export 10 Million Tons of LNG in a Month
The record was driven by new output from Venture Global’s Plaquemines facility and Cheniere’s Corpus Christi Stage 3 project.
(Reuters) — The United States has become the first country to export 10 million metric tons (MMt) of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in a single month, according to preliminary data from financial firm LSEG.
Exports totaled a record 10.1 MMt in October, up from a revised 9.1 MMt in September, the data showed. Already the world’s largest LNG exporter, the United States has achieved four record-setting months in 2025, driven by new capacity from Venture Global’s Plaquemines LNG and the ramp-up of Cheniere Energy’s Corpus Christi Stage 3 project.
The Plaquemines facility in Louisiana shipped 2.2 MMt in October, surpassing its September record of 1.6 MMt. Cheniere’s Corpus Christi plant exported 1.6 MMt, also a record. Combined with 2.6 MMt from Sabine Pass, Cheniere accounted for 4.2 MMt, or 42 percent of all U.S. LNG exports for the month.
When the Corpus Christi Stage 3 expansion is complete in 2026, Cheniere expects annual capacity to exceed 50 MMtpy, Chief Executive Officer Jack Fusco said in a recent earnings call. Together, Venture Global and Cheniere supplied 72 percent of U.S. exports in October, according to LSEG.
Europe Remains the Largest Buyer
Europe remained the top destination, receiving 6.9 MMt, or nearly 69 percent of total exports, compared with 6.22 MMt in September. Asian imports rose to 1.96 MMt, while Latin American deliveries declined slightly to 0.57 MMt as the region entered warmer months. Egypt imported 0.43 MMt, and Senegal received 0.1 MMt, LSEG data showed.
In October, gas traded at $10.88/MMBtu at the European benchmark Dutch Title Transfer Facility (TTF), down from $11.13/MMBtu in September. At Asia’s Japan Korea Marker (JKM), the average was $11.11/MMBtu, compared with $11.32/MMBtu the prior month. With benchmark prices nearly equal, U.S. exporters had little incentive to divert cargoes from Europe to Asia.