US LNG expansion bolsters Europe, but risks remain

The US continues to play an increasingly pivotal role in the LNG market, but short- and medium-term risks and uncertainties persist

The US is the world’s largest LNG exporter, and that liquefied gas has become a lifeline for Europe since the Ukraine invasion and the resulting slump in Russian pipeline flows. Europe has successfully and rapidly built up its regasification infrastructure, but risks persist for this coming heating season. And the US’ role in the LNG market will only grow in the coming years, although the exact pace of capacity expansion remains open to debate. "The US will max out its LNG export capacity this winter,” said Ira Joseph, senior research associate at the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University, speaking at the recent Petroleum Economist webcast, ‘US LNG ambitions reforging the glo