August 13, 2026 [ OilPrice.com ]- Qatar, the U.S. and Argentina are driving the next LNG wave, with major projects targeting Asia and Europe as energy security concerns grow.
The U.S.-Iran war has driven up natural gas prices in Europe and Asia, disrupted Middle East LNG supply chains (including strikes on Qatar’s Ras Laffan trains and Hormuz shipping), and underscored the need for new flexible supply amid projected global LNG demand rising nearly 65% to ~700 million tonnes per year by 2050.
Qatar’s North Field West expansion will add two LNG mega-trains (~16 mtpa) as part of a broader push to lift total capacity from 77 to 142 mtpa, with first output targeted toward the end of the decade.
Alaska LNG aims to move North Slope gas via a ~800-mile pipeline to a new Nikiski liquefaction terminal (target 20 mtpa), with developers seeking additional offtake agreements before a final investment decision.
Argentina’s projects will monetize Vaca Muerta shale through near-term floating LNG and a larger 12–30 mtpa land-and-sea export buildout, supported by new pipelines to the Atlantic coast and marine services infrastructure.
U.S. Gulf Coast terminals dominate new capacity: Rio Grande LNG (up to 48 mtpa at Brownsville, with multi-train construction, Permian pipeline links, and deepened harbor access) and Port Arthur LNG (~26 mtpa, featuring multiple trains, storage tanks, and berths, with Phase 1 fully subscribed and Phase 2 expansion advancing).
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