Guest Post: Export Shale Revolution Rather than Gas
The so-called shale revolution is re-drawing the energy landscape in the United States and beyond. While the Obama administration is still trying to craft a strategy to manage this energy windfall, more than twenty liquefied natural gas (LNG) export applications are awaiting approval to ship U.S. gas abroad. If all were to be given the go-ahead they would represent over 25 billion cubic feet per day of capacity, nearly 40 percent of U.S. gas demand. However, there are significant risks and uncertainties associated with such large-scale gas exports and due to construction and licensing needs, and it will be at least 2016 before any major volume of LNG leaves US ports. In the meantime, Washington should prioritize a different category of export—the technology and expertise needed to responsibly replicate American shale success in other select parts of the world.