Trade deal opens new markets to US LNG

The Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade deal was signed on 5 October, making it easier for US LNG to expand to new markets

The US and 11 other countries sealed the long-negotiated Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) free trade deal on 5 October, making it easier for US liquefied natural gas exporters (LNG) to access major new markets, especially Japan. When evaluating proposed LNG export plants, the Department of Energy draws a distinction between those that plan to ship gas to countries that have free-trade agreements (FTA) with the US and those that don’t. For those that don’t, a longer, more complex and costlier permitting process is required, which has been a source of irritation and complaint from the burgeoning natural gas export industry. “TPP will address current barriers to global markets,” Stefan Selig, a