Developers of liquefied natural gas export projects in Texas and Louisiana announced separate deals Thursday with Ukraine and Saudi Arabia, signaling a strong appetite for U.S. energy overseas.
The two agreements — disclosed by NextDecade and Venture Global — arrived more than four months into the Department of Energy’s pause on LNG export approvals.
Demand has remained robust amid the pause, which the Biden administration has said it’s using to update the climate and economic analyses used to determine whether approvals are in the public interest. U.S. LNG exports climbed about 3 percent from February to March, when the country exported nearly 370 billion cubic feet of gas, according to DOE.
Both newly unveiled deals — called heads of agreement — involve LNG terminals that are not yet sending gas overseas, although one facility in Louisiana is expected to start production this year.
