ANALYSIS: Natural Gas Exports Beneficial
Under the leadership of Energy Secretary and former Texas Governor Rick Perry, the U.S. Energy Department is working to streamline American exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG). With three major LNG terminals planned for the Texas coast, the Tyler Morning Telegraph penned an editorial celebrating the benefits this move would create for the Lone Star state:
“That’s great news for Texas, in particular. One reason is that until recently, natural gas has largely been a localized commodity – too expensive to ship very far. And because of that, the markets have been volatile, with wild price swings. But LNG technology is quickly making it easier and less expensive to ship, opening up more and more markets to Texas-produced natural gas. The bigger the marketplace, the less volatility. We should do everything we can to encourage exports. They’re good for the economy and even for the environment, as cheaper and cleaner natural gas replaces coal.”
These terminals come with massive geopolitical implications as well, with foreign leaders celebrating the prospective partnership with Texas energy companies rather than continued dependence on Russia. Lithuanian President Dalia Grybauskaitė recently stated:
“U.S. gas imports to Lithuania and other European countries is a game changer in the European gas market. This is an opportunity for Europe to end its addiction to Russian gas and ensure a secure, competitive and diversified supply.”
Despite the many economic, geopolitical, and environmental benefits of these export terminals, the Environmentalist Left has opposed the projects. The Sierra Club has gone so far as to spread a claim that the nearby SpaceX launch site could cause an explosion at the LNG export terminals, despite that notion already being debunked by extensive scientific study.
Despite this opposition, a recent International Energy Agency (IEA) report projects that this continued emphasis on energy infrastructure in Texas and across the country will place the United States on course to challenge Qatar and Australia as the leading exporter of natural gas. The completion of these LNG export terminals will allow Texas to benefit economically while helping to decrease smaller countries’ dependence on Putin.