US LNG exports from 2016 will have impact on the Asia-Pacific market

摘要

The US Department of Energy must grant LNG export licences (pursuant to the Natural Gas Act) to exporters who are delivering LNG to countries with which the US has a free trade agreement (FTA) without modification or delay. In contrast, before granting a non-FTA export licence, the DOE must consider whether the proposed export licence is inconsistent with the public interest. There is some political resistance to increasing US LNG export capacity. The concerns are mainly focused around ensuring security of supply for domestic gas demand and the potential for increased LNG exports leading to higher domestic gas prices.