U.S. government suspends approvals of new LNG export licenses

On Friday, January 26, the U.S. Presidential Administration suspended the approval of new LNG export licenses while it scrutinizes the impact of these shipments on climate change, the economy, and national security.

The moratorium will disrupt plans to implement multibillion-dollar LNG export projects under construction all along the North American coast.

The Energy Department's study will build on existing analysis that underpins the agency's review of proposals to send more natural gas to European, Asian, and other countries that are not U.S. free trade partners. New export projects are now reviewed on a case-by-case basis to determine whether they are in the public interest.

The administration decided to suspend the issuance of licenses due to the activity of environmentalists who have taken on export projects, including Venture Global LNG's large CP2 export terminal, which is planned to be built on the Gulf Coast.