American natural gas saves Europe’s bacon, again

Data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) show the USA has recently become the world’s largest exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG), as we are using this newfound bounty to save the bacon of our European allies who have embraced all of the worst liberal energy policies.

According to EIA, “The United States exported more liquefied natural gas (LNG) than any other country in 2023. U.S. LNG exports averaged 11.9 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d)—a 12 percent increase (1.3 Bcf/d) compared with 2022, according to data from our Natural Gas Monthly.”

This gas has largely been going to Europe, and the U.S. LNG has helped backfill the loss of Russian natural gas due to the destruction of the Nord Stream pipelines. Europe accounted for 66 percent of exported U.S. LNG, followed by Asia at 26 percent and Latin America and the Middle East at a combined 8 percent.

Despite the importance of U.S. LNG to Europe, the Biden administration Biden administration announced it would pause new approvals of liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports.

As former Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) staffer Travis Fisher wrote on his Substack, the Biden administration said the DOE will now scrutinize applications to export LNG based on climate change and other factors to determine whether additional US LNG exports are in the public interest.

This will have no impact on projects that have already been approved but not built, but it is already sending a chilling signal to the U.S. natural gas industry even though the USA is currently using this fuel to save Europe’s bacon, again.