Overview
- Golden Pass, the QatarEnergy–Exxon Mobil venture in Sabine Pass, Texas, began producing liquefied natural gas from its first train, and QatarEnergy said the first cargo is expected in the second quarter.
- The three‑train facility is designed to produce about 18 million metric tons per year once fully online, with the next trains targeted for late 2026 and 2027.
- The launch follows strikes that damaged Qatar’s Ras Laffan export complex, creating a multi‑year repair window and pushing buyers to look for replacement cargoes from U.S. terminals.
- E&E News reports disruptions near the Strait of Hormuz have sidelined roughly one‑fifth of global LNG supply and lifted Asian prices by about 90 percent since the conflict began.
- The project reached this milestone after a 2024 contractor bankruptcy, thousands of layoffs, and costs topping $10 billion, which delayed construction but did not stop the startup.