The White House has ruled out any ban or curbs on natural-gas exports this winter in a bid to help alleviate energy shortages in Europe.
President Joe Biden committed in March for the U.S. to deliver 15 billion cubic meters (bcm) more of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to Europe. This happened after Russia invaded the neighboring country Ukraine.
The U.S. has already surpassed this goal.
While the White House said the analysis shows the administration has only cemented support for ongoing exports, rising energy costs and a colder-than-expected winter could test the U.S.’s commitment.
A ban on natural gas exports during the winter has not been seriously considered, according to a U.S. official.
Americans, already fatigued by inflation, may have to pay high home-heating bills this winter. This is a potential reality the White House is bracing for.
New analyses and reports predict that the average cost of U.S. home heating is expected to rise 17.2 percent from last winter to $1,202, putting millions of low-income families at risk of falling behind on their energy bills.
Natural gas is the nation’s primary heating fuel. It heats about 50 percent of American households. And its price is expected to increase about 34 percent compared with last year, and up 66 percent from the winter of 2020-2021.
Inventories of natural gas are at historically low levels after U.S. companies exported record amounts to Europe in recent months to counter a cut in supplies and higher prices for European power plants.
High spikes in inflation led the White House to explore the market impact of limiting energy exports to ease consumer prices and lift domestic inventories.
But that analysis only cemented a consensus that such a move would be too extreme and fracture key relationships with allies in Europe.
The issue has taken on new significance in recent weeks as the White House has threatened petroleum refiners they could stop them from exporting fuels like gasoline and diesel unless domestic inventories rise.
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