QatarEnergy signed two long-term agreements to buy up to 4 million tonnes a year of U.S. LNG from Cheniere — split between Sabine Pass and Corpus Christi — with deliveries running from 2031 through 2054.
Published in Brief No. 4 ·
Reviewed by Georges C. Nama, Esq., licensed by the Supreme Court of Texas.
On October 22, 2026, QatarEnergy signed two long-term sale-and-purchase agreements with Cheniere to buy up to 4 million tonnes per year of U.S. LNG — 2 million tonnes from Sabine Pass in Louisiana and 2 million tonnes from Corpus Christi in Texas — on a free-on-board basis, priced at Henry Hub plus a fixed fee. Deliveries are set to begin in 2031 and run through 2054. Roughly 3 million tonnes a year is firm; the remaining 1 million tonnes, from Sabine Pass, is contingent on a positive final investment decision on the first phase of Cheniere’s Sabine Pass expansion. The deal is notable because Qatar, normally the world’s premier LNG exporter, is contracting for U.S. volumes to diversify its supply after disruption to its own facilities earlier in 2026.
The world’s top LNG exporter buying up to 4 mtpa of American LNG is a striking signal of U.S. LNG’s structural role in global supply. For U.S. exporters, producers and the Gulf Coast supply chain, a QatarEnergy offtake with a major like Cheniere deepens the demand base underwriting the next phase of U.S. liquefaction — and the Henry Hub-plus-fixed-fee structure is the model now anchoring long-term U.S. LNG sales.
What it means for U.S. companies
For U.S. LNG exporters, producers and the Gulf Coast supply chain, QatarEnergy committing to up to 4 mtpa from Cheniere — the world’s largest LNG exporter turning buyer — cements American LNG’s place in global supply and supports the economics of further liquefaction capacity. The Henry Hub-plus-fixed-fee, FOB structure is the template underwriting long-term U.S. sales; the 1 mtpa tied to a Sabine Pass expansion FID also links the deal to the next U.S. build-out decision.
Related reading
Our oil, gas and energy practice page explains how we draft and review joint operating agreements, farmouts, drilling and gas sales contracts, and host government agreements for U.S. companies and investors. Our Africa–U.S. transactions page covers deal structuring, due diligence and cross-border compliance, including the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. Before you sign, read 5 Mistakes That Sink Africa–U.S. Deals (and How to Avoid Them), and find every item of that edition in the Oil & Gas Intelligence Brief.
Sources: Cheniere ↗ · Pipeline & Gas Journal ↗
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