The US exported more LNG than any other country in 2023. US LNG exports averaged 11.9 billion ft3/d — a 12% increase (1.3 billion ft3/d) compared with 2022, according to data from Natural Gas Monthly.
LNG exports from Australia and Qatar — the world’s two other largest LNG exporters — each ranged from 10.1 billion ft3/d to 10.5 billion ft3/d annually between 2020 and 2023, according to data from Cedigaz. Russia and Malaysia were the fourth and fifth-highest LNG exporters globally over the last five years (2019–23). In 2023, LNG exports from Russia averaged 4.2 billion ft3/d, and exports from Malaysia average 3.5 billion ft3/d.
US LNG exports increased in 1H 23 after Freeport LNG returned to service in February and ramped up to full production by April. Relatively strong demand for LNG in Europe amid high international natural gas prices supported increased US LNG exports during the year. U.S. LNG exports set monthly records late last year: 12.9 billion ft3/d in November, followed by 13.6 billion ft3/d in December. We estimate that utilization of US LNG export capacity averaged 104% of nominal capacity and 86% of peak capacity across the seven US LNG terminals operating in 2023.
Similar to 2022, Europe (including Türkiye) remained the primary destination for U.S. LNG exports in 2023, accounting for 66% (7.8 billion ft3/d) of US exports, followed by Asia at 26% (3.1 billion ft3/d) and Latin America and the Middle East with a combined 8% (0.9 billion ft3/d).
In 2023, Europe (EU-27 and the UK) continued to import LNG to compensate for the loss of natural gas previously supplied by pipeline from Russia. Europe’s LNG imports capacity continued to expand, and we expect it will increase by more than one-third between 2021 and 2024.
The countries that imported the most US LNG were the Netherlands, France, and the UK, with a combined 35% (4.2 billion ft3/d) of all US LNG exports. LNG imports increased in the Netherlands after the Gate LNG regasification terminal was expanded and two new floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs) were commissioned. Germany began importing LNG in 2023 when three new FSRUs were commissioned. We expect another four terminals (three of which are FSRUs) to come online between 2024 and 2027.
In Asia, Japan and South Korea each received 0.8 billion ft3/d of LNG exports from the US, the fourth and fifth-highest US LNG export volumes by country in 2023. Japan, China, and India increased LNG imports from the United States by a combined 0.6 billion ft3/d compared with 2022. The Philippines and Vietnam started importing LNG in 2023; the Philippines imported LNG cargoes from the US only in October and November.
In Latin America, US LNG exports to Brazil continued to decline last year as Brazil continued to primarily use hydropower for electricity generation. US LNG exports to Brazil peaked in 2021, when the country experienced its worst drought in more than 90 years.
