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US LNG Exports Jump in March as Europe Leads Demand Surge

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US liquefied natural gas exports climbed to a record in March, driven by strong demand from Europe and Asia, the latest data from the Department of Energy showed on Wednesday.

The Department said the US exported 890.7 billion cubic feet of natural gas in March while importing 247 Bcf, resulting in net exports of 643.7 Bcf.

DOE said LNG shipments accounted for 573.5 Bcf, or 64.4% of total US natural gas exports, with cargoes delivered to 34 countries. Exports rose 16.2% from February and were up 25.2% from a year earlier, underscoring continued global appetite for US fuel supplies.

Europe remained the dominant destination for US LNG, taking in 355.7 Bcf, or 62% of total LNG exports, followed by Asia at 140 Bcf. Africa imported 54.6 Bcf, while Latin America and the Caribbean received 23.2 Bcf.

The data showed that 91.4% of US LNG exports went to non-Free Trade Agreement countries, with the remaining 8.6% shipped to FTA countries.

France was the top destination for US LNG exports in March, with 65.2 Bcf imported, followed by the Netherlands at 58 Bcf, Egypt at 53.3 Bcf, Spain at 50.6 Bcf, and Italy at 50.4 Bcf. The top five destinations accounted for 48.4% of total US LNG exports.

Pipeline exports to Mexico also remained strong. The US exported 196.9 Bcf of natural gas to Mexico and imported less than 0.1 Bcf from its southern neighbor, resulting in net exports of 196.8 Bcf.

Trade flows with Canada moved in the opposite direction, with the US exporting 120.3 Bcf of natural gas to Canada while importing 246.7 Bcf, resulting in net imports of 126.4 Bcf.

The DoE said net imports from Canada were down 25.3% from February 2026 and 22.6% from March 2025.

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