Overview
- Golden Pass LNG loaded and dispatched its inaugural commercial shipment from Train 1 on QatarEnergy’s 174,000-cubic-meter carrier Al-Qaiyyah.
- The shipment followed first LNG production on March 30 after federal regulators cleared commissioning cargoes shortly before departure.
- The joint venture, owned 70% by QatarEnergy and 30% by ExxonMobil, is designed for about 18.1 million tons per year across three liquefaction trains.
- Operators plan to start Train 2 in the second half of 2026 and Train 3 in the first half of 2027, and the EIA says this is the only new U.S. LNG exporter expected to begin shipments in 2026.
- Reuters has reported the Al-Qaiyyah is sailing to serve a long-term contract in Italy, a sign that new U.S. cargoes can help buyers replace volumes lost after damage to two Ras Laffan trains cut Qatar’s output by about 17%.