Golden Pass LNG has loaded and dispatched its first liquefied natural gas (LNG) export cargo from its terminal at Sabine Pass, Texas.
The terminal, a joint venture between QatarEnergy (70% ownership) and ExxonMobil (30% ownership), completed the milestone on Wednesday.
The shipment, which left port 23 days after Golden Pass achieved first LNG production, is being carried by the Liberian-registered vessel Al Qa’iyyahal, according to ship-tracking data. Golden Pass did not disclose the destination of the inaugural cargo.
"Today's first LNG export cargo is a defining moment for Golden Pass, our workforce, the community, and the nation," said Alex Savva, President and CEO of Golden Pass. "As we advance toward full commercial operations, we are proud to have commenced supplying reliable U.S. LNG to the global market."
Golden Pass, about 10 miles south of Port Arthur, Texas, on the Sabine-Neches Waterway, opened in 2010 as an LNG import terminal. In 2019, its shareholders approved a $10 billion final investment decision to convert the facility into an LNG export terminal.
When fully operational, the terminal is expected to export about 18 million tons of LNG per year. It is currently running Train 1, while Trains 2 and 3 are under construction and commissioning. Golden Pass LNG plans to bring Train 2 online in the second half of 2026 and Train 3 in the first half of 2027.
Chief Commercial Officer Jeff Hammad said, "The successful commencement of LNG exports from our Sabine Pass terminal marks the fulfillment of the vision our shareholders — QatarEnergy and ExxonMobil — set in motion when they committed to this project years ago," he said. "It's incredibly rewarding to stand here now with Golden Pass delivering on that promise and shaping the future of global energy."
The terminal began shipping as geopolitical developments in the Strait of Hormuz have affected over 10 billion cu. ft. per day, or approximately 20%, of global supply, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Golden Pass LNG is the only new U.S. LNG export terminal currently expected to begin LNG shipments in 2026.
When fully complete, the project will have the third-highest nominal capacity of U.S. LNG export projects currently exporting LNG, behind Sabine Pass, operated by Cheniere Energy in Cameron Parish, La., and Venture Global's Plaquemines LNG.
