QatarEnergy and ExxonMobil’s $10B US project exports first LNG cargo

April 23, 2026, by Nadja Skopljak

Some 24 days after achieving first LNG production from the first of three planned trains, QatarEnergy and ExxonMobil’s liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Texas, the U.S., has exported its first LNG cargo.

It was reported today, April 23, that the first LNG cargo from the Golden Pass LNG project in Sabine Pass had been loaded onboard QatarEnergy’s Al-Qaiyyah LNG carrier, recently built in Korea, with a capacity of 174,000 cubic meters (cbm).

This comes after the project achieved sustained liquefaction operations and first LNG production from the first of three LNG trains on March 30.

“This is a significant industry milestone that marks a new chapter in QatarEnergy’s global efforts to meet rising LNG demand and ensure reliable supplies to international markets,” said Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi, Minister of State for Energy Affairs, the President and CEO of QatarEnergy.

“The Golden Pass LNG project is one of the single largest investment decisions in the history of the U.S. LNG sector, affirming QatarEnergy’s position and reputation as a reliable provider and a trusted partner of choice that drives growth and development around the world.”

The project entails three liquefaction trains with a total capacity of 18.1 million tons per year (mtpa), five 155,000 cbm LNG storage tanks, and two marine berths to accommodate big LNG carriers. QatarEnergy Trading, QatarEnergy’s wholly owned LNG trading entity, will offtake 70% of the project’s LNG production capacity.

Following the first LNG on Train 1, the main engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractors for the project, U.S.-headquartered McDermott and Chiyoda International Corporation (CIC), continued progressing construction and commissioning work on trains 2 and 3.

QatarEnergy (70%) and ExxonMobil (30%) announced the final investment decision (FID), worth more than $10 billion, for the development of the Golden Pass LNG export project in February 2019. This is QatarEnergy’s largest investment in the U.S.