US LNG exports unchanged from last week
US federal data from August 11 show total exports of natural gas in the form of LNG remained unchanged from the previous week.
The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported that 21 vessels laden with LNG left US export terminals from August 5 through August 11 carrying a combined 77bn ft3 of product. The only difference from the previous week was in the number of vessels departing from the various export facilities.
Cheniere Energy's Sabine Pass terminal in Louisiana is typically the busiest export facility in the country. Six of the 21 vessels departing during the week left from there, while seven departed during the previous week.
Outside of LNG, EIA reported that pipeline exports of natural gas increased relative to 2020, though that is largely to be expected considering the demand destruction brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nonetheless, EIA reported that natural gas exports to Mexico averaged 5.7bn ft3/d from January to May, a 13.6% increase over the same period from last year. Exports to Canada were flat, however.
EIA said that it expected total exports of natural gas through pipelines to average 8.9 bn ft3/d in 2021. The average pace so far this year is 8.5 bn ft3/d.
While exports increased, the same cannot be said for production. EIA reported that dry natural gas production averaged 91.5 bn ft3/d through July, about 0.4bn ft3/d below the same period from last year.
EIA attributed the slump to inclement weather in the US south in February, where freezing temperatures idled large parts of the domestic energy sector.