Golden Pass LNG Ships First Cargo to Belgium
QatarEnergy and ExxonMobil's Golden Pass LNG project exported its first cargo on April 22 to mitigate global supply shortages caused by Middle East conflicts.
The Golden Pass LNG project in Sabine Pass, Texas, shipped its first liquefied natural gas cargo on April 22, 2026, aboard the carrier Al-Qaiyyah. The shipment is destined for the Zeebrugge import terminal in Belgium, with an expected arrival on May 8. This milestone follows first production from Train 1 on March 30, 2026.
QatarEnergy, which holds a 70% stake in the joint venture with ExxonMobil, is using the facility to offset production losses at its Ras Laffan plants. In mid-March, Iranian missile strikes damaged liquefaction trains in Qatar, removing approximately 17% of the company's export capacity for an estimated three to five years. The activation of Golden Pass occurs as geopolitical instability in the Strait of Hormuz continues to affect roughly 20% of the global LNG supply.
The project represents a $10 billion investment and will eventually operate three liquefaction trains with a total nominal capacity of 2.0 Bcf/d, or 18.1 million metric tons per year. While it will be the third-largest U.S. LNG export project, officials note it cannot fully replace the capacity lost in the Middle East. Train 2 is expected to start in the second half of 2026, with Train 3 following in the first half of 2027.
