据天然气加工新闻网2022年7月25日报道，根据国际天然气咨询中心CEDIGAZ发布的数据，美国在今年上半年成为世界上最大的液化天然气（LNG）出口国。与去年下半年相比，今年上半年美国LNG出口量增长12%，日均112亿立方英尺。美国LNG出口持续增长有3个原因：LNG出口能力增加，国际天然气和LNG价格上涨，以及全球LNG需求增加，尤其是欧洲的LNG需求增加。  

根据美国能源信息署（EIA）的估计，自去年11月以来，美国LNG出口量平均日增19亿立方英尺（峰值为21亿立方英尺）。 新增的产能包括萨宾帕斯LNG项目的第六条液化生产线、卡尔克苏LNG项目的18条中等规模液化生产线，以及萨宾帕斯和科珀斯克里斯蒂LNG设施的LNG产能的增加。截至今年7月，EIA估计美国LNG液化能力日均114亿立方英尺，短期峰值为139亿立方英尺。  

国际天然气和LNG价格在去年第四季度和今年上半年创下历史新高。自去年10月以来，荷兰天然气所有权转让设施（TTF）的天然气价格一直处于创纪录高位。今年上半年，TTF平均价格为30.94美元/百万英热单位。亚洲LNG现货价格也一直居高不下，同期平均价格为29.50美元/百万英热单位。 

自去年年底以来，欧洲国家越来越多地进口LNG，以弥补其产能大国管道天然气进口的减少，并填补历史上处于低位的天然气库存。今年上半年，欧盟和英国的LNG进口量增加63%，日均148亿立方英尺。  

今年前5个月，大部分美国LNG出口到欧盟和英国，占美国LNG出口总量的71%，即82亿立方英尺/天。与去年类似，今年上半年，美国向欧盟和英国输送的LNG最多，占欧洲LNG日总进口量148亿立方英尺的47%，其次是卡塔尔，占15%，产能大国占14%，4个非洲国家加起来占17%。

今年6月，美国LNG出口量比今年前5个月的平均出口量（114亿立方英尺/天）减少11%，主要原因是自由港LNG出口设施意外停产。后者预计将在10月初恢复部分液化业务。

今年上半年，美国7个LNG出口设施的峰值产能利用率平均为87%，这与去年的平均利用率相似。 

李峻 编译自 天然气加工新闻网

原文如下：

The United States became the world’s largest LNG exporter in the first half of 2022

The United States became the world’s largest LNG exporter during the first half of 2022, according to data from CEDIGAZ. Compared with the second half of 2021, U.S. LNG exports increased by 12% in the first half of 2022, averaging 11.2 Bcf/d. U.S. LNG exports continued to grow for three reasons—increased LNG export capacity, increased international natural gas and LNG prices, and increased global demand, particularly in Europe.

According to our estimates, installed U.S. LNG export capacity has expanded by 1.9 Bcf/d nominal (2.1 Bcf/d peak) since November 2021. The capacity additions included a sixth train at the Sabine Pass LNG, 18 new mid-scale liquefaction trains at the Calcasieu Pass LNG, and increased LNG production capacity at Sabine Pass and Corpus Christi LNG facilities. As of July 2022, we estimate that U.S. LNG liquefaction capacity averaged 11.4 Bcf/d, with a shorter-term peak capacity of 13.9 Bcf/d.

International natural gas and LNG prices hit record highs in the last quarter of 2021 and first half of 2022. Prices at the Title Transfer Facility (TTF) in the Netherlands have been trading at record highs since October 2021. TTF averaged $30.94 per MMbtu during the first half of 2022. LNG spot prices in Asia have also been high, averaging $29.50/MMbtu during the same period.

Since the end of last year, countries in Europe have increasingly imported more LNG to compensate for lower pipeline imports from the larger producer and to fill historically low natural gas storage inventories. LNG imports in the EU and UK increased by 63% during the first half of 2022 to average 14.8 Bcf/d.

Most U.S. LNG exports went to the EU and the UK during the first five months of this year, accounting for 71%, or 8.2 Bcf/d, of the total U.S. LNG exports. Similar to 2021, the United States sent the most LNG to the EU and UK during the first half of the year, providing 47% of the 14.8 Bcf/d of Europe's total LNG imports, followed by Qatar at 15%, and the larger producer at 14%, and four African countries combined at 17%.

In June, the United States exported 11% less LNG than the 11.4 Bcf/d average exports during the first five months of 2022, mainly as a result of an unplanned outage at the Freeport LNG export facility. Freeport LNG is expected to resume partial liquefaction operations in early October 2022.

Utilization of the peak capacity at the seven U.S. LNG export facilities averaged 87% during the first half of 2022, mainly before the Freeport LNG outage, which is similar to the utilization on average during 2021.