"The U.S. is in the midst of an energy transformation. Technologies that free fossil-fuel reserves, once trapped in shale, have radically shrunk natural gas imports. By 2020, the nation is expected to produce more gas than it needs. As the country approaches this milestone, it faces a question long asked in other countries with abundant energy resources: How much should we use at home and how much should we sell abroad?"
"Some chemical companies and other industrial natural gas consumers worry that large amounts of exports, in the form of liquefied natural gas (LNG), will raise domestic prices, hike manufacturing costs, and undercut their international competitiveness. They would like to see the Department of Energy slow projects planned by energy companies to export natural gas.
Oil and gas companies, on the other hand, say exports will have little impact on domestic prices. They are pushing for more than 15 new shipping terminals, sufficient to send a full third of current domestic LNG consumption around the world. They believe free LNG trade will benefit the U.S. economy and foster job creation."
Jeff Johnson and Alexander H. Tullo report for Chemical & Engineering News March 11, 2013.
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