From technology and shale productivity gains to the next generation of LNG projects, Souki offers a candid look at how the industry transformed over the past decade — and what the next 10 years may hold.

Copson, an LNG trader, discusses why Asian LNG spot buying has been so sluggish and whether he expects that to change anytime soon. The conversation also covers other influences shaping the world’s largest LNG market. Copson and Cocklin explore what role Asia will play in the years ahead as more supply from the United States and elsewhere comes online and global natural gas trading expands.

The discussion explores the evolving regulatory landscape under President Claudia Sheinbaum, contrasting her “technocratic” and state-led approach with the uncertainty of the previous administration. Lenton and Baker dive into the critical lack of underground storage, the growing role of CFE and Pemex, and the burgeoning data center hub in Querétaro that is driving a new wave of industrial demand. As the market looks toward increased demand, the episode provides a clear-eyed examination of whether Mexico could truly achieve energy independence, or if its “overwhelming dependence” on U.S. molecules is simply a permanent reality.

The discussion dives into the current winter outlook, encompassing how early-season volatility and potential "fireworks" in pipeline-constrained regions like the Northeast could trigger major price dislocations. Bhatty also shares strategic insights from his career on the trading floor, explaining the shift from traditional market drivers to a new era defined by high-flexibility storage and structural demand growth. As the market braces for the next major cold snap, Bhatty provides a roadmap for navigating a volatile commodity landscape where physical delivery is becoming the ultimate competitive advantage.

While industry sentiment is overwhelmingly bullish, the discussion explores a critical tension: Can a 6% Henry Hub price premium survive the current storage surplus on top of the unpredictability of winter weather? From the massive growth in LNG exports to the regulatory hurdles facing data center expansion, the conversation delves into whether North American producers can ramp up production in time to meet the 4 Bcf/d demand surge projected for the coming year.

It’s innovation that will guide the future, Hardin said. This is the beginning of an exciting year for the oil and gas industry, as it continues expanding efficiencies and improving technologies. 

Could natural gas prices strengthen? Will utilities advance more natural gas-fired capacity? What about regulations and government policies? Could they stymie investments? 

Hardin discusses that and more in an insightful discussion.

He cites the example of last winter, a normal one by historical standards, that nonetheless triggered a massive pull on storage in January. Cooper also discusses the impacts of record LNG exports and the evolving electricity mix on natural gas power burns and storage trends. As demand continues to rise, Cooper explains how the supply picture will evolve as producers in the Haynesville Shale, Permian Basin and Appalachia adapt to a constantly changing market.

He also notes that LNG demand has created new challenges for producers, who now depend on export markets as physical gas consumption has ballooned to unprecedented levels. He also outlines how evolving economics, higher construction costs and shifting contract structures are pushing LNG developers toward more merchant-style risk. Looking forward, Souki says ongoing technological breakthroughs, especially deeper drilling and improved productivity, continue to expand U.S. resource potential and would shape the next era of LNG growth.

Munton also explains that the United States faces the daunting task of boosting production by roughly 20 Bcf/d to meet booming LNG exports and rising power demand. Against that backdrop, key gas plays like the Marcellus and Haynesville shales face infrastructure and cost hurdles. He also casts doubt on Mexico’s and Alaska’s LNG ambitions amid financing and logistical challenges, reinforcing why Gulf Coast terminals dominate. As affordability and energy costs become political flashpoints, Munton warns that high prices could reshape both the energy landscape and U.S. voter sentiment.

Several storage expansions are underway in the Lower 48, particularly along the Gulf Coast. A greenfield project also has received federal approval in recent days. But financing has been a struggle for some projects, preventing them from being sanctioned and ultimately, brought into the market in a timely manner. 

Gonzales and Marchese discuss the challenges and successes Caliche has found in expanding its assets in Texas and California, as well as the outlook for future storage developments to accommodate rising natural gas demand.

Based on its deep assessment of the U.S. market, NGSA expects prices to be relatively flat compared with last winter. Market pressure is being offset by record production, even on the back of strong LNG exports and rising demand from artificial intelligence-powered data centers.

Of course, there are wild cards, with weather the biggest one for the natural gas markets. Wiggins breaks down the outlook for storage and potential price volatility.

A big issue on the table for the natural gas market is permit reform, which has been on the table in Congress in some form or fashion for a few years. The legislation, Wiggins said, is essential  to ensure there is enough infrastructure as demand rises. The NGSA chief says the fuel is no longer a bridge, but “foundational” to energy supplies domestically and abroad. Wiggins expects Congress will pass legislation to remove impediments to expanding the reach of U.S. natural gas, both to serve domestic and overseas markets. 

The two break down what's driving the surge, from AI-powered data centers that could account for up to 8 Bcf/d demand by decade’s end to a massive LNG buildout adding another 15 Bcf/d over the next five years.

Drawing from the LDC Gas Forums Mid-Continent conference in Chicago, they tackle questions such as: Can production ramp fast enough to meet this demand? Where will the new supply come from? And with forward prices already climbing, what happens if a brutal winter throws another curveball into the mix?

Monroy, managing director of consultancy Grupo Mexicano de Energía y Construcción, outlines how Mexico’s power sector relies on U.S. pipeline gas, while years of underinvestment and weak regulatory frameworks have left domestic production stagnant. From stalled deepwater and shale projects to the lack of natural gas storage, Monroy explains why efforts to boost production face steep economic and technical hurdles. 

The conversation also delves into Mexico’s LNG ambitions, private sector interest in partnering with CFE, and the uncertain role of Pemex—painting a picture of an energy landscape where ambitious plans risk falling short, leaving Mexico tethered to U.S. supplies.  

The discussion spans key factors shaping supply, demand, and price outlooks – from a coming surge in data center energy needs to abundant Canadian production and persistent infrastructure constraints. Drawing on insights from the recent LDC Gas Forum in Denver, Baker highlights the interplay of emerging demand drivers with today’s elevated supply picture.

The editors also examine what forward curves reveal about fundamentals heading into winter and beyond, offering perspective on where the market may be headed in the months ahead.

Fifteen export terminals are operating, being commissioned or are under construction. Several more are close to moving ahead. What’s driving the momentum? Will more projects be sanctioned soon? How is the industry navigating tariffs, and how is all the growth likely to impact U.S. natural gas prices? Cocklin and Hutchison answer these questions and touch on other themes shaping the direction of the industry.

Together, they dive into the energy policy paradox in the United States, where the push for energy dominance is colliding with market realities, triggering ripple effects across global oil and gas markets. 

Monaldi, a leading Latin America energy expert, outlines the challenges for Mexico’s Pemex, which faces a perfect storm of soaring debt, crumbling production, and regulatory barriers that are stifling investment and threatening Mexico’s energy future. While there are faint signs of progress through service contracts and potential projects tapping unconventional resources, Lenton and Monaldi explore why these efforts won’t be enough to reverse Pemex’s downward trajectory and dependence on U.S. natural gas imports.

Despite the milestone, Canadian gas prices continue falling relative to Lower 48 counterparts as the country’s producers aggressively ramp production ahead of demand. The discussion dives into the details of LNG Canada’s startup, timelines for other projects advancing on the country’s west coast, and when supply-demand rebalancing could impact U.S.-Canadian price differentials.

The duo also cover the unique advantages Canadian LNG offers, including shorter shipping times to Asia, as well the challenges like building infrastructure in remote areas.

While data centers housing artificial intelligence grab headlines for their massive appetite for electricity, these projects represent a broader trend of associated gas assets being monetized for various in-basin power needs. Bigger projects may solve gas supply issues, but they bring operational complexity. Clark and Berg give examples of existing and proposed off-grid uses and the challenges they face.

While the winter heating season is far off, natural gas storage is in a markedly different situation than last year. There are likely to be ample supplies stocked for next season, but with producers able to fast respond to cash market price signals and LNG feed gas demand bumping as export facilities ramp, Huenefeld details a dynamic season ahead.

The duo examine the stark price divide between the pipeline haves and have nots. Appalachian gas traded near zero while New England spiked to $33.50/MMBtu this winter. With data center demand surging, the infrastructure gap could become even more critical.

They discuss industry sentiment on the prospects for reviving projects like Williams' Constitution Pipeline. They also review how the region’s gas pipelines and producers are positioned to handle explosive AI-driven demand.

Where are domestic natural gas prices headed into 2026? Pat says it’s not one thing or another, as rising demand is ahead as more LNG export capacity comes online, and as industrial and residential/commercial sector consumption climbs. 

E&Ps are likely waiting for bullish natural gas price signals to spur activity in the second half of 2025, but they will be accelerating their activity, according to Pat. 

The odds of adding natural gas infrastructure, both midstream and by utilities, also is discussed as hyperscalers compete to build a plethora of data centers.

Lenton recently attended the U.S.-Mexico Gas Summit in San Antonio TX, where topics ranged from data centers to LNG terminals to the challenges facing state oil company Petróleos Mexicanos, aka Pemex. He breaks down which demand segments are growing fastest, and how they are affected by pricing dynamics north of the border.

Blair and Dobbs address relatively modest gas production and lingering storage deficits in the East as well as domestic weather demand expectations for the summer ahead and beyond.  Wildcards up for discussion include the ongoing buildout of the U.S. export complex and the Trump administration’s on-again, off-again tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico.

They explore supply, demand and price trends that could emerge as the Trump administration works to balance the U.S. trade deficit. They also discuss other challenges like the European Union's methane emissions regulations and LNG production growth in the Middle East that could curb the appetite for North American LNG at a time when it's growing at an unprecedented rate.

NGI’s Leticia Gonzales, managing director for North American natural gas pricing, and senior markets editor Chris Newman dig into this issue. Plus, with summer just around the corner, the duo examine the current state of the market flipping the script for regional price relationships as cooling demand takes over as the major pull on gas use.

NGI's Jacob Dick, senior editor of LNG, talks with East Daley Analytics’ Jack Weixel, senior director of energy analysis, about the price and production outlook headed into 2026 and how volatility may be here to stay.

Times have changed in the past few months with natural gas roaring to the forefront of the U.S. energy discussion. New LNG facilities are ramping up and other projects have taken on added impetus. How does the Trump administration in the United States impact natural gas supply and demand? How about Mexico projects sourcing U.S. gas? When are major projects like Plaquemines and Corpus Christi Stage 3 ramping up? What about Argentina's LNG ambitions?

Lenton and Chapa get to the bottom of all of this and more.

Coming off earnings season and executive outlooks shared on analyst calls, the two discuss the various factors that could influence producers to further ramp up supply – from key price thresholds to macroeconomic conditions. They also delve into long-term demand drivers, including swelling calls by LNG facilities for feed gas and a growing number of data centers with robust energy needs.

Rau and Dobbs tie together supply and demand and how the various puts and takes could line up to impact natural gas prices this year and beyond.

With storage now sitting below five-year averages and record LNG exports consuming more supply, the market faces a steeper climb to rebuild stocks amid caution by producers to bring on more supply. A hot summer could siphon gas away from injections to make the task harder.

NGI’s Leticia Gonzales, managing director of North American natural gas pricing, and senior markets editor Chris Newman examine the market’s dramatic shift from surplus to deficit, producers’ restraint despite higher prices, and the impact of structural LNG demand growth on domestic markets. They also look ahead to how the evolving market fundamentals could shape gas prices through summer and into winter 2025/26.

The discussion also covers oncoming LNG supply, and U.S. trade relations with Canada and Mexico, coal-to-gas switching, the recent slowing trend of an energy transition to renewables and how changing rules are being felt in the natural gas market. Crooks explains whether the United States is experiencing an “energy emergency” – or if it is about to be as artificial intelligence comes online.

The two break down a list of projects that could ultimately move forward as a result of the EO. They also review the challenges that remain for LNG projects working to reach a final investment decision. The discussion also examines how a study released by the Biden administration has slowed down President Trump's efforts to fast-track projects and how the new administration is addressing it.

Blair covers the strengthening production and stout storage situation, as well as domestic weather in LNG demand. He also addresses potential wild cards for 2025, including the ongoing buildout of the U.S. export complex and the incoming Trump administration’s plans for steep new tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico.

With Mexico President Sheinbaum’s recent inauguration, however, the role of state-owned energy companies has been put in question. Now, with former President Trump’s re-election, NGI’s Andrew Baker, senior editor, sits down with Christopher Lenton, senior editor for Mexico and Latin America, to discuss how the cross-border energy trade may evolve. Baker and Lenton dive into the implications for Mexico’s export projects should Trump reverse the Biden administration’s LNG permit pause, as well as the outlook for natural gas demand in both Mexico and the United States as nearshoring and power generation needs evolve.

Mendelssohn explains why these rates could remain low for the foreseeable future and explores the potential implications for the LNG shipping market as new export facilities come online in the years to come.

Meanwhile, as discussions on artificial intelligence-driven data centers turned the tide on estimates for peak natural gas-fired generation earlier this year, Rau covers the latest prognostications for the emerging demand source.

Despite rising complications, there is still strong demand for LNG, according to Bennett. One way or another, buyers will seek to fill LNG demand – and the U.S. natural gas market remains a strong supplier.

The two review geopolitical tensions and supply security issues that are likely to factor heavily into the liquefied natural gas market this winter heating season. The conversation covers the recent court decision impacting Rio Grande and Texas LNG projects that could have far-reaching impacts for other export terminals under development. Sakmar and Cocklin also discuss some of the key events that have shaped the market in recent years, and how they are likely to influence its future. 

Chatterjee, currently an environmental and energy attorney at Hogan Lovells in Washington, DC, discusses the legality of the pause, the U.S. LNG review process and the deadlock at FERC that’s slowing down projects like Venture Global LNG Inc.’s CP2 facility. 

Blair addresses production and supplies in storage, domestic weather and LNG demand, and sets the stage for the summer ahead in natural gas markets. 

Blair noted that, while prices are currently suppressed following a mild winter and record production during the heating season, natural gas output in recent weeks has come off record highs. Major producers such as Chesapeake Energy and EQT Corp. have publicly announced efforts to scale back production to align supply/demand. Forecasts, meanwhile, point to another hot summer. Longer term, LNG export facilities are poised to open soon on the Gulf Coast to meet growing global gas needs. Should demand rise in parallel with lower production, markets could rally.

Blair and Dobbs delve into the state of natural gas markets.

Flex owns a fleet of LNG carriers. The episode explores why the attacks have so far done little to disrupt LNG shipping and how that could change if they continue longer-term. Kalleklev also weighs in on the Biden administration's decision to pause U.S. export authorizations.

Rapidan Energy Group's Alex Munton joins NGI's Jacob Dick to discuss what it means, why it happens and which developing projects might be the most impacted.

Saal digs into supplies in storage, record production, speculators' impact, moderate winter weather-driven demand so far and LNG export activity – the myriad pieces that make up the winter supply/demand puzzle and how they may impact prices through the heating season and beyond.

Saal and Dobbs spoke shortly after the latest Energy Information (EIA) storage report was released on Thursday. EIA printed a 117 Bcf withdrawal for the week ended Dec. 1. It marked the second consecutive triple-digit pull of the season. Yet inventories remained nearly 7% above the five-year average for this time of year.

Record production in November that topped 106 Bcf/d, combined with mostly benign weather through the fall, accounted for much of the difference. But the overall natural gas picture is more complicated than that. Dobbs and Sall delve into more detail.

Abaxx’s new regulated futures clearinghouse will be the first launched in over a decade. Its plans to list physically settled contracts for the three major LNG markets in Northwest Europe, North Asia and the Gulf Coast comes as the global gas market is searching for a better benchmark to manage increasing risk and volatility. Those contracts are coming closer to being a reality after the company completed its latest round of financing to secure nearly $20 million.

As Blair noted, many analysts think falling rig counts are starting to contribute to lower output estimates. At the same time, winter weather is around the corner and new LNG export facilities are poised to open soon on the Gulf Coast. If these demand drivers develop in concert with lower production, markets could rally. Blair and Dobbs explain why.

In this episode of the podcast, NGI Price & Markets Editor Leticia Gonzales is joined by Price Analysts Josiah Clinedinst and Josten Mavez to discuss everything from production trends to pipeline outages, as well as what may lie ahead for the natural gas market in the coming months.

Lower production in June has largely been attributed to planned maintenance. But some analysts think falling rig counts are starting to contribute to lower output estimates. At the same time, the South is cooking and other regions are warming fast. National Weather Service long-range forecasts point to at least average heat in July and August. There is also the potential for an uptick in liquefied natural gas demand in the coming months. If these demand drivers develop in concert with lower production, markets could rally. Blair explains why.