US LNG Exports Shift to Asia Amid Middle East Conflict in May 2026
Quick Look
- In May 2026, US LNG exports reached 502.8 bln cubic feet, a 6.5% decrease from April but 15.5% higher year-on-year.
- Europe remained the primary destination, but Asia's share significantly increased to 41.3% due to the ongoing Middle East crisis and supply disruptions from Qatar and the UAE.
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Why It Matters
The US exported 502.8 bln cubic feet of LNG in May 2026, with Europe as the primary destination, but Asia's share increased significantly. This shift occurred amid the ongoing Middle East conflict and disruptions to LNG supplies from Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
MOSCOW, July 23. /TASS/. The United States exported 502.8 bln cubic feet (14.2 bln cubic meters) of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in May 2026, according to the US Energy Department's monthly report. Europe remained the primary destination for US LNG exports, but shipments to Asia nearly matched European volumes amid the conflict in the Middle East.
LNG exports in May were 6.5% lower than in April but 15.5% higher than in May 2025. A total of 158 LNG tankers were dispatched during the month.
The main export destinations were the Netherlands (63.6 bln cubic feet, or 1.8 bln cubic meters), South Korea (49.5 bln cubic feet, or 1.4 bln cubic meters), Italy (46.7 bln cubic feet, or 1.32 bln cubic meters), Japan (42.5 bln cubic feet, or 1.2 bln cubic meters), and Egypt (36.2 bln cubic feet, or 1 bln cubic meters). These countries accounted for 47.5% of total US LNG exports.
According to the report, Asia's share of total US LNG exports rose to 41.3% in May, compared with 30.3% in April. Shipments to Asia continued to increase amid the ongoing Middle East crisis and disruptions to LNG supplies from Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Europe's share of US LNG exports declined to 46.1% in May. The remaining volumes were shipped to Latin America and Africa.
In January-May 2026, the United States exported about 2.646 trillion cubic feet (74.9 bln cubic meters) of LNG, 22% more than in the same period of the previous year. The US exported 47.4 bln cubic meters of LNG to Europe (63% of total exports) and about 17.7 bln cubic meters to Asia (23.6% of total exports). As a result, shipments to Europe increased by 5% year-on-year, while exports to Asia surged by 72%.
US LNG shipments to Africa increased 2.5-fold to 6.6 bln cubic meters.
Open Questions
- What specific disruptions affected Qatar and UAE LNG supplies?
- What are the long-term implications for global LNG trade routes?
- How will this shift impact energy prices in affected regions?
