Transporting natural gas can be costly and impractical, so liquefaction terminals cool it into liquid natural gas (LNG) that can be shipped and stored more efficiently because it takes up to 600 times less space.
The proliferation of shale products has decreased our LNG imports and moved us toward the role of a potential LNG exporter. Becoming an LNG exporter would result in countless benefits for the American economy: By 2035, natural gas-producing states (like Louisiana, Pennsylvania, and Texas) could bank $31 billion per state and gain 155,000 jobs, while even nonproducing states with large manufacturing bases (think California, Illinois, New York, and Ohio) could see $5 billion in economic gains and 38,000 new jobs per state.
Some US natural gas is already exported to Canada and Mexico via pipeline, and new proposed LNG terminals would export to other continents.
For more on America’s LNG export potential, check out Canary’s investigation The Dash for Gas: Will the US Finally Support LNG Exports to Beleaguered Nations?