Golden Pass LNG at Sabine Pass, Texas, is a liquefied natural gas export terminal jointly owned by QatarEnergy (70%) and ExxonMobil (30%), with a nameplate capacity of 18 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) across three liquefaction trains. Train 1 commenced production in early April 2026, making Golden Pass the first US LNG facility in which a national oil company holds majority equity — and providing a partial supply offset at a moment of acute global market tightness following QatarEnergy’s forced shutdown of its Ras Laffan complex in March 2026. Full commercial export operations across all three trains are expected to reach approximately 18 MTPA once the remaining trains complete commissioning.
Project Background and Ownership
The Golden Pass LNG project has its origins in an import terminal originally built to receive LNG into the US market. The facility at Sabine Pass was converted and expanded into an export liquefaction complex following the shale gas revolution, which eliminated the economic rationale for US LNG imports and created the conditions for the United States to become a major exporter.
QatarEnergy — then operating as Qatar Petroleum — announced the Golden Pass liquefaction investment in February 2019 with a total project cost exceeding $10 billion. The 70/30 ownership split between QatarEnergy and ExxonMobil reflects a long-standing partnership between the two companies across multiple Qatargas project entities at Ras Laffan, including Qatargas-2 and the RasGas trains. For context on that history, see Qatargas: History, LNG Trains and Merger with QatarEnergy.
The investment represented a significant part of QatarEnergy’s announced $20 billion US energy sector commitment and marked a strategic shift for the company — from a producer that sells LNG from a single export hub to one with production capacity on two continents. For the full corporate context, see the Qatar Petroleum / QatarEnergy Company Profile.
Location, Infrastructure and Train Configuration
Golden Pass LNG is located at Sabine Pass on the Texas-Louisiana border, one of the most established LNG export corridors in the United States. The site shares the Sabine Pass waterway with Cheniere Energy’s Sabine Pass LNG facility — the first US LNG export terminal to commence operations in the modern era — giving the location established marine access, deep-water berthing infrastructure, and proximity to the US Gulf Coast pipeline network that feeds the liquefaction trains.
The terminal comprises three liquefaction trains, each with an individual capacity of approximately 6 MTPA, giving a combined nameplate output of 18 MTPA. The trains use Air Products’ C3MR liquefaction technology, the same process used across the majority of large-scale LNG export facilities globally. Feed gas is sourced from the US domestic market via pipeline interconnections to the Gulf Coast gas grid, giving Golden Pass access to the deepest and most liquid natural gas market in the world.
The site also retains its original import infrastructure — storage tanks, regasification equipment, and send-out capacity — from the pre-conversion facility. This gives Golden Pass a degree of operational flexibility that pure greenfield export terminals do not have, though the import infrastructure is not expected to be commercially active while domestic US gas prices remain below export netback levels.
Construction Timeline and Delays
Golden Pass LNG faced a protracted development timeline from final investment decision to first production. The project was announced in February 2019 but encountered a series of delays driven by contractor financial difficulties, supply chain disruption, and the broader capital cost inflation that affected the entire US LNG construction sector through 2022 and 2023.
The primary EPC contractor, Zachry Holdings, filed for bankruptcy in mid-2024 citing cost overruns on the Golden Pass project, forcing QatarEnergy and ExxonMobil to restructure construction arrangements mid-build. The contractor transition added months to the schedule and contributed to total project costs that exceeded the original $10 billion estimate. McDermott International and other contractors were involved in various work packages across the project’s construction phase.
Train 1 commissioning began in late 2025 and first LNG production was confirmed in early April 2026 — approximately two years later than the original schedule envisaged at the time of the FID. Global LNG exports from the project are expected to begin in the second quarter of 2026 as the first cargoes complete loading and transit.
Strategic Significance: April 2026 Market Context
The timing of Golden Pass Train 1 startup could not have been more consequential. QatarEnergy’s Ras Laffan complex had been offline since 2 March 2026 following Iranian strikes that halted 77 MTPA of production and triggered force majeure declarations across multiple buyer contracts. Golden Pass LNG provided the only new supply addition to a market facing its tightest conditions since the 2022 European energy crisis. For full coverage of the Ras Laffan disruption, see QatarEnergy Ras Laffan: LNG Shutdown, Force Majeure and Restart.
The scale offset is limited — Train 1 at approximately 6 MTPA against 77 MTPA offline — but the symbolic and contractual significance is substantial. QatarEnergy holds majority equity in a producing US LNG facility for the first time, diversifying its production base beyond the Hormuz-dependent Ras Laffan hub. Analysts at Rystad Energy noted that Golden Pass startup was a welcome addition given the severity of supply pressure, while acknowledging that the volume was insufficient to materially replace Qatari capacity in the near term.
Once all three trains reach full production, Golden Pass will add 18 MTPA to global LNG supply — equivalent to roughly 23% of QatarEnergy’s existing Ras Laffan capacity, and enough to supply approximately 25 million European households annually. For a capacity-ranked view of where Golden Pass sits within the global LNG infrastructure hierarchy, see the Top 10 LNG Terminals in the World 2026.
Golden Pass LNG Company Snapshot
| Location | Sabine Pass, Jefferson County, Texas, USA |
|---|---|
| Ownership | QatarEnergy 70% / ExxonMobil 30% |
| Capacity | 18 MTPA across 3 trains (~6 MTPA per train) |
| Liquefaction Technology | Air Products C3MR |
| FID Date | February 2019 |
| Total Project Cost | $10 billion+ (exceeded original estimate) |
| Train 1 First Production | April 2026 |
| Full Export Commencement | Q2 2026 (expected) |
| Feed Gas Source | US Gulf Coast pipeline network |
| Primary EPC Contractor | Zachry Holdings (filed bankruptcy 2024); restructured |
Who owns Golden Pass LNG?
Golden Pass LNG is owned 70% by QatarEnergy and 30% by ExxonMobil. The joint venture reflects a long-standing partnership between the two companies across multiple LNG project entities at Ras Laffan in Qatar, including Qatargas-2 and several RasGas trains. QatarEnergy holds the majority equity stake and the project represents part of its announced $20 billion US energy investment programme.
Where is Golden Pass LNG located?
Golden Pass LNG is located at Sabine Pass on the Texas-Louisiana border, in Jefferson County, Texas. The site shares the Sabine Pass waterway with Cheniere Energy’s Sabine Pass LNG facility and has access to the US Gulf Coast pipeline network for feed gas supply. The location provides established deep-water marine access for LNG carrier loadings.
When did Golden Pass LNG start production?
Train 1 at Golden Pass LNG commenced production in early April 2026, following a construction programme that ran approximately two years behind the original schedule due to contractor difficulties including the bankruptcy of primary EPC contractor Zachry Holdings in 2024. Global LNG exports from the project are expected to begin in the second quarter of 2026. Trains 2 and 3 are expected to follow sequentially through 2026 and into 2027.
What is the capacity of Golden Pass LNG?
Golden Pass LNG has a nameplate capacity of 18 MTPA across three liquefaction trains, each rated at approximately 6 MTPA. Train 1 entered production in April 2026. Once all three trains reach full commercial operation, Golden Pass will rank among the larger US LNG export facilities, comparable in scale to several of the trains at Sabine Pass LNG operated by Cheniere Energy.
Why is Golden Pass LNG strategically important for QatarEnergy?
Golden Pass gives QatarEnergy majority-equity LNG production capacity outside Qatar for the first time, diversifying its export base beyond the Ras Laffan complex, which is entirely dependent on the Strait of Hormuz for shipment access. The March 2026 Iranian strikes and subsequent Hormuz closure demonstrated the concentration risk of a single-hub export model. Golden Pass production is accessible via Atlantic shipping lanes and is not subject to Persian Gulf transit constraints.