MOSCOW, May 25. /TASS/. The United States exported a record 573.5 bln cubic feet (16.2 bln cubic meters) of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in March 2026 amid the Middle East conflict, according to the monthly report from the US Department of Energy. Europe again became the main destination of supplies, accounting for around 62% of all exports, while shipments to Asia doubled.
LNG exports in March were 16% higher than in February, and 25% higher than in March 2025. A total of 188 LNG tankers were shipped. These figures were achieved due to the expansion of Venture Global’s Plaquemines plant in Louisiana, as well as increased shipments from Sabine Pass and Corpus Christi.
The main destinations of supplies were France (65.2 bln cubic feet, or 1.85 bln cubic meters), the Netherlands (58 bln cubic feet, or 1.64 bln cubic meters), Egypt (53.3 bln cubic feet, or 1.5 bln cubic meters), Spain (50.6 bln cubic feet, or 1.43 bln cubic meters), and Italy (50.4 bln cubic feet, or 1.43 bln cubic meters). These countries accounted for 48.4% of all US supplies.
The share of shipments to Asia in total US LNG exports jumped to 24.4% in March from 14.5% in February, according to the report. Shipments to Asia doubled amid the onset of the Middle East crisis and the withdrawal of LNG supplies from Qatar and the UAE. The share of shipments to Europe fell to 62% in March. The remaining volumes went to Latin America and Africa.
In the first quarter of 2025, the United States exported around 1.606 trillion cubic feet (45.5 bln cubic meters) of LNG, up by 25% year-on-year. The United States exported 32.7 bln cubic meters of LNG to Europe (72% of the total) and approximately 7.1 bln cubic meters (16% of the total) to Asia. Thus, deliveries to Europe increased by 13% compared to the same period in 2025, while supplies to Asia gained 59%.
The transportation of American LNG to Africa grew almost 3.3 times to 3.9 bln cubic meters.