US LNG exports on the decline
US federal data published August 19 show both the number of laden vessels leaving port with LNG and the total export volume both declined from the previous week.
The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported that 16 vessels laden with natural gas in the super-cooled liquid form left export facilities during the week ending August 18.
Five of those left from the Sabine Pass terminal, typically the busiest LNG export facility in the US, and three left from Cameron, both in Louisiana. Four left from the Freeport terminal and three departed from Corpus Christi, both in Texas. And from Maryland, one vessel left from Cove Point during the reporting week.
All told, those vessels were carrying a combined 57bn ft3 of gas in LNG form. For the week ending August 11, 21 vessels laden with LNG left US export terminals, carrying a combined 77bn ft3 of product.
Natural gas production, meanwhile, is expected to increase. In its latest drilling productivity report, EIA forecast an increase of around 0.2%, from the 85.9bn ft3 expected in August to 86.1bn ft3 in September.
In terms of broader North America, EIA reported that natural gas imports from Canada increased 1.1% from the previous reporting period, while natural gas exports to Mexico declined by 3.6% from last week.