In September 2023, 76 U.S. LNG shipments were sent to Europe and Turkey, accounting for about 53 percent of the total 143 shipments received in that month.
Main Destinations for LNG Shipments
The Netherlands, with 15 shipments, was identified as the main destination for U.S. LNG in September, followed by Egypt, Italy, and Spain, each with 14 shipments, and France with 12 shipments. This trend reflects buyers' efforts to rebuild gas inventories ahead of winter.
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Impact of War and Gas Storage Situation
Europe's LNG imports had decreased for most of the year, especially after the outbreak of war in the Middle East in late February, leading to higher spot prices and increased competition with Asian buyers. According to Gas Infrastructure Europe data, gas storage in the European Union was about 72 percent full as of October 3, while this figure was 83 percent in 2025 and 94 percent in 2024 in previous years.
The volume of LNG delivered to Europe and Turkey in September remained steady at around 5.4 million tons, despite a significant decrease in total U.S. deliveries compared to the previous month. Additionally, 41 LNG shipments were sent to Asia-Pacific markets in September, accounting for about 29 percent of total shipments, down from a 36 percent share in August.
Situation of LNG Facilities in the United States
Heading into October, the annual maintenance period at the Cove Point LNG facility in Maryland has impacted the overall LNG output from the United States. This work will continue until the second half of the month. Supply disruptions at the Freeport LNG facility in Texas, which shut down one of its three units for maintenance on October 2, have also drawn market attention.
U.S. LNG export facilities were expected to receive about 19 billion cubic feet per day of feed gas on October 5, while the average for September was close to 19.5 billion cubic feet per day. Global LNG prices remain high and volatile, with the benchmark DES price in Northwest Europe assessed at $23.56 per million BTU for November.
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