### DOE Pauses US LNG Export Permits Despite New Authorization
The United States Department of Energy (DOE) has recently authorized New Fortress Energy Inc. to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) from its Altamira floating LNG export platform, located off the coast of Mexico in the Gulf of Mexico. However, this decision does not signify the end of the Biden administration’s pause on new LNG export permit approvals, as a DOE spokesperson clarified.
The authorization allows New Fortress Energy to re-export up to 0.4 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) of US-sourced natural gas as LNG to non-free trade agreement (FTA) countries for a five-year term. This includes exports to allies in Europe, increasing available exports by approximately 3% for the upcoming winter.
This action does not increase the overall volume of LNG that the Altamira platform can re-export, but it broadens the export opportunities to non-FTA nations. The DOE continues to update its analyses of LNG exports to ensure that evaluations are guided by the latest science and considered for future reviews of LNG export applications.
The LNG export pause was initiated in January to bolster the review process and more comprehensively assess the climate and economic impacts of boosting exports. This decision did not affect the existing 8 LNG terminals in operation or the 10 projects currently under construction with DOE export authorizations. However, it posed a significant threat to future US LNG export development.
Industry groups and attorneys general from 16 Republican states challenged the pause, leading to a federal court ruling in Louisiana blocking the pause on LNG export permits in the summer of this year. Despite this legal development, the real-world impacts remain uncertain.
### Implications and Future Developments
The Biden administration’s pause aimed to address changes in global markets and account for updated considerations on energy cost increases and greenhouse gas emissions. The review process is expected to be completed by