North American LNG Exports Set to Double by 2029 — Led by U.S. Gulf Coast Expansion

If all the announced LNG export projects in North America get built — and that’s still a big if — our continent’s LNG export capacity is on track to more than double over the next five years.


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According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), total LNG export capacity could climb from 11.4 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in 2024 to a staggering 28.7 Bcf/d by 2029. The numbers are jaw-dropping — and they speak to how central North America has become in powering global energy security.


The U.S. Takes the Lead

In 2025, the United States already holds the crown as the largest LNG exporter in the world, with an export capacity of 15.4 Bcf/d. That’s an extraordinary leap from where we were just a few years ago. And the wave isn’t over.

The EIA projects that most of the future growth — roughly 13.9 Bcf/d — will come from new facilities along the U.S. Gulf Coast, where an impressive lineup of projects is under construction. These include massive multi-train developments in Louisiana and Texas, expanding the export hubs that already feed global markets from the Permian, Haynesville, and Eagle Ford regions.

Here’s a high-level list of U.S. LNG (liquefied natural gas) export projects grouped by status — Operating, Under Construction, and Announced/Permitted but Not Yet Under Construction. Please note: This list is not exhaustive, and project capacities, names and statuses can change. I pulled from data published by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and other publicly available sources.


✅ Operating Projects

These are LNG export terminals in the U.S. that are in commercial operation (or at least have begun exports).

ProjectLocationApprox capacity*Notes
Cheniere Energy – Sabine Pass LNGCameron Parish, LouisianaOne of the first large-scale U.S. LNG export plants.
Cheniere Energy – Corpus Christi LNG (Stage I/II)TexasAlready exporting; expansion continues.
Freeport LNGTexasAlready operating with trains in service.
Cameron LNGLouisianaIn operation.

*Capacity numbers vary depending on “nameplate” vs “peak” vs “nominal”.
According to the EIA: U.S. LNG export facilities had ~11.4 Bcf/d (billion cubic feet per day) of operating capacity as of 2023.


🚧 Under Construction Projects

These are U.S. LNG export projects that are under construction (or in commissioning) and expected to come online in the next few years.

ProjectLocationApprox capacityNotes
Venture Global LNG — Plaquemines LNG (Phase I & II)Louisiana~3.4 Bcf/d (combined)One of the major upcoming U.S. facilities. The Department of Energy’s Energy.gov+2U.S. Energy Information Administration+2
Cheniere – Corpus Christi LNG Stage IIITexasExpansion of existing terminal. U.S. Energy Information Administration+1
Golden Pass LNGSabine Pass, TexasUnder construction; large-scale. S&P Global+2U.S. Energy Information Administration+2
Rio Grande LNG (NextDecade)Brownsville, TexasUnder construction (Phase I) among others. Wikipedia+1
Port Arthur LNG (Sempra) – Phase ITexasUnder construction. S&P Global+1

According to the EIA recent data: five U.S. LNG export projects under construction had a combined capacity of ~9.7 Bcf/d.


📌 Announced / Permitted but Not Yet Under Construction

These are large-scale projects that have received regulatory approval (e.g., FERC/DOE) or are proposed, but have not yet gone to full construction.

ProjectLocationApprox capacityNotes
Driftwood LNGLouisiana~4.0 Bcf/dFERC approved; not yet under construction (as of last publicly available data) The Department of Energy’s Energy.gov+1
Magnolia LNGLouisiana~1.186 Bcf/dApproved, but construction not started/commenced in full scale. The Department of Energy’s Energy.gov
Lake Charles LNGLouisiana~2.2 Bcf/dApproved but not under construction. The Department of Energy’s Energy.gov
Texas LNGBrownsville, Texas~0.55 Bcf/d (or higher when phases)Permitted; actual construction/phases delayed. The Department of Energy’s Energy.gov
Alaska LNGAlaska (Kenai/Nikiski)~2.63 Bcf/dApproved but many years out; huge project. The Department of Energy’s Energy.gov+1

Additionally, the EIA has noted that in the U.S., beyond those under construction there is “an additional ~18.3 Bcf/d of possible LNG export capacity … fully approved but with FID (final investment decision) not yet made”.


Canada and Mexico Join the Buildout

While the U.S. dominates the numbers, both Canada and Mexico are adding meaningful capacity of their own.

  • Canada: 2.5 Bcf/d is expected to come online through projects such as LNG Canada and Cedar LNG on the British Columbia coast — key steps toward giving Western Canadian producers direct access to Asian markets.
  • Mexico: Another 0.6 Bcf/d could come from projects like Altamira LNG and Saguaro Energia, designed to link U.S. natural gas to Latin American and Pacific buyers.

Together, these additions will diversify export routes and strengthen North America’s position as a reliable global supplier of LNG.


A New Era for Natural Gas

The global appetite for LNG shows no sign of slowing — particularly in Europe and Asia, where countries are seeking alternatives to Russian pipeline gas and aiming to balance renewables with secure baseload energy.

For U.S. producers, this LNG boom represents a second golden age for natural gas — one fueled by shale innovation, infrastructure investment, and geopolitical demand for reliable supply.

At the same time, it underscores North America’s ability to shape global energy markets — not just as a price taker, but as a strategic exporter driving the next phase of the energy transition.


The Road Ahead

Of course, not every announced project will reach the finish line. Financing challenges, permitting delays, and market shifts could thin the field. But the trajectory is clear: North America’s LNG capacity is expanding fast, and the Gulf Coast will remain the engine room of that growth.

By 2029, if even most of these projects are completed, the continent could be supplying nearly 30 Bcf/d of LNG to global markets — roughly one-third of total world demand.

That’s more than just an energy story. It’s an economic transformation, a geopolitical pivot, and a validation of shale’s enduring power.


Sources:
U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) — Today in Energy
Reuters — North America’s LNG export capacity could more than double by 2029
JPT — North American LNG export capacity set to surge by 2029

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