Golden Pass LNG announces FID

The decision to proceed is well timed. It positions the project at the forefront of the next wave of US LNG, and moving to construction now enables costs to be locked in, minimizing exposure to inflationary pressures before the next cycle of global LNG investment heats up. Qatar Petroleum, itself, could be driving much of the activity, with its plans for a further four Qatari mega-trains totaling 32 mmtpa capacity. Doing both projects simultaneously is ambitious, and it risks flooding the market with uncontracted LNG supply. But for Qatar the project fits well with a broader set of strategic interests: its desire to protect its share of the global LNG market, strengthen its relations with the US, and diversify Qatar Petroleum's portfolio both internationally and upstream. Golden Pass LNG can contribute to all three. ExxonMobil's interests are differentiated but aligned. For ExxonMobil, its relationship with Qatar is key.