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US LNG exports equal monthly record in April

LSEG data show that the United States equaled the record of the highest volume of liquefied gas exported in April as the capacity increased due to the ramp-up at Venture Global's Plaquemines facility.

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the U.S. already has the largest LNG export capacity in the world. It is expected that this will grow by 20% to 115 millions tonnes in 2025 after a record-breaking year in 2024.

LSEG data shows that in April the U.S. exported 9.3 MT of LNG, which is the same as the previous monthly record.

The startup of Venture Global’s Plaquemines Phase 1 project has boosted exports this year. According to Tudor Pickering Holt & Co., the project is producing at 140% its design capacity.

According to LSEG ship tracking, Plaquemines exports 1.1 MT in April, up from 0.82 MT in March.

In April, Europe was once again the top destination for U.S. exports of LNG. In April, the U.S. shipped 6.3 MT (or 68% of total monthly exports) of LNG to Europe. This is slightly lower than the 6.47 MT of LNG exported to Europe in march.

LSEG data shows that the U.S. exported 2.05 MT of goods to Asia in April. This is more than it sold in march, when traders took advantage higher prices in Asia.

In Europe, benchmark prices in April were $11.48 per million Btu, down from $13.21 a month earlier. Prices in Europe have dropped because Chinese buyers are reselling their cargoes to Europe instead of paying tariffs if they import the goods into China.

The Japan Korea Marker, Asia's benchmark for gas prices, was down to $12.23 per million British Thermal Units (mmBtu), from $13.50 per mmBtu in March.

According to Kpler, commodity analysts, prices were higher in Asia than Europe despite the fact that LNG demand in China was at its lowest level since October 2022 in April.

According to LSEG, U.S. LNG exports to Latin America rose slightly in April to 0.68 MT, from 0.55 MT in March. This was due to the reduced production at Atlantic LNG Trinidad.

LSEG data shows that Atlantic LNG, owned by Shell and BP, exported two fewer cargoes to Latin America in April compared to the average for 2025.

Only one cargo was sold to Egypt, reducing the U.S. exports to Middle East.

According to LSEG, there were three additional cargoes totaling 0.21 MT, which left U.S. port without a destination.

U.S. exporters of LNG also paid less in April for their feed gas. The U.S. Henry hub benchmark in Louisiana averaged around $3.43 per mmBtu, down from $4.14 a month earlier. Reporting by Curtis Williams, Houston; Editing and proofreading by Andrea Ricci

(source: Reuters)