Reuters: FACTBOX - North America natural gas export plans

Tensions in Ukraine have spurred U.S. officials to press the government to speed up exports of abundant U.S. natural gas to Europe as Russia moves to take control of part of the embattled nation.

Europe gets roughly a quarter of its gas supply from Russia, about half of which is piped through Ukraine, heightening fears
that it could cut pipeline shipments of the fuel to the European Union at will.

The EU is reluctant to impose economic sanctions against Russia as it moves to take control of the Crimean Peninsula, straining relations with the West. 

A U.S. Senator on Thursday introduced a bill to push the Obama administration to speed up liquefied natural gas (LNG) export approvals. MORE