Global LNG liquefaction capacity reached approximately 460 MTPA in 2025, with the top 10 LNG liquefaction plants accounting for roughly 60% of that total. The facilities ranked here represent the largest single concentrations of export capacity on the planet — from Qatar’s dominant North Field complex to the US Gulf Coast terminals reshaping Atlantic supply flows in 2026.
How We Ranked the Top 10 LNG Liquefaction Plants
Rankings are based on nameplate liquefaction capacity in million tonnes per annum (MTPA). Where a site hosts multiple facilities under consolidated ownership, total site capacity is used. Capacity figures are sourced from operator disclosures and GIIGNL annual reports. Facilities under commissioning with first LNG produced are included; projects not yet producing are excluded.
1. Ras Laffan LNG — Qatar
The Ras Laffan industrial city hosts the world’s largest concentration of LNG liquefaction capacity, with approximately 77 MTPA across 14 trains now consolidated under QatarEnergy LNG following the merger of RasGas and Qatargas operations. Qatar is the world’s largest LNG exporter by volume, supplying buyers across Europe, Asia, and South America under long-term contracts. The North Field East and North Field South expansions are targeting a step-change to 126 MTPA by 2027, cementing Qatar’s position at the top of the top 10 LNG liquefaction plants ranking for the foreseeable future.
2. Sabine Pass LNG — Louisiana, USA
Cheniere Energy‘s Sabine Pass facility in Louisiana was the first US LNG export terminal, shipping its first cargo in February 2016. Six operational trains give a nameplate capacity of approximately 30 MTPA. Debottlenecking projects have pushed realised output above nameplate across multiple trains, and Cheniere continues to optimise throughput as long-term offtake contracts lock in European and Asian buyers through the 2030s.
3. North West Shelf LNG — Western Australia
Woodside Energy operates the North West Shelf facility on the Burrup Peninsula, one of the world’s longest-running LNG complexes with first cargo in 1989. Five trains give approximately 16.9 MTPA of nameplate capacity, though feedgas supply from legacy reservoirs is declining. Woodside’s Scarborough gas field development — targeting 11.1 MTPA of new LNG and first cargo in 2026 — is the planned replacement feedstock for the existing facility.
4. Gorgon LNG — Western Australia
Chevron (47.3%), Shell (25%), and ExxonMobil (25%) operate Gorgon LNG on Barrow Island, with three trains and approximately 15.6 MTPA of capacity. One of the largest natural gas projects in Australian history, Gorgon also incorporates a carbon capture and storage scheme targeting 4 MTPA of CO₂ injection into the Dupuy Formation. Chevron’s Australian LNG strategy pairs Gorgon with the Wheatstone facility to the north, giving the company approximately 24.5 MTPA of combined Australian capacity.
5. Nigeria LNG — Bonny Island, Nigeria
NLNG is operated by a joint venture — NNPC (49%), Shell (25.6%), TotalEnergies (15%), and Eni (10.4%) — and currently runs six trains at approximately 22 MTPA. Africa’s largest LNG facility, it supplies primarily European buyers under long-term contracts. Train 7, adding approximately 8 MTPA, is under construction and targeting completion in 2025, which would lift total capacity to approximately 30 MTPA and push NLNG into the top three globally.
6. Corpus Christi LNG — Texas, USA
Cheniere Energy‘s second major export terminal operates three trains at approximately 15 MTPA on the Texas Gulf Coast. Stage 3 — three mid-scale trains adding roughly 10 MTPA — is under construction with first LNG targeted for 2025-2026, which would lift total capacity to approximately 25 MTPA. Corpus Christi’s expansion is part of the broader US Gulf Coast liquefaction buildout that is redirecting global supply flows toward European buyers post-2022.
7. Wheatstone LNG — Western Australia
Chevron (64.14%) operates Wheatstone LNG in the Pilbara region, with two trains and approximately 8.9 MTPA. A domestic gas plant sits alongside the export trains, supplying Western Australia’s gas market. Wheatstone forms part of the same integrated Australian LNG portfolio as Gorgon — together the two facilities make Chevron the dominant operator in Australian LNG. Details on the broader portfolio are covered in the Shell LNG Terminals profile
8. Tangguh LNG — Papua, Indonesia
BP (40.22%) operates Tangguh LNG in the Bird’s Head Peninsula of Papua province, Indonesia. Three trains following Train 3 completion in 2023 give approximately 11.4 MTPA of total capacity. Tangguh supplies primarily Asian buyers including CNOOC, Kansai Electric, and Tohoku Electric under long-term contracts. BP’s global LNG terminal network also includes its stake in the Tangguh expansion, which represents one of the operator’s most significant upstream LNG growth assets outside the Atlantic basin.
9. Plaquemines LNG — Louisiana, USA
Venture Global LNG‘s Plaquemines facility in Louisiana is the most significant new US LNG export project of the 2020s, with a modular mid-scale design targeting 20 MTPA across two phases. First LNG was produced in December 2024. The commissioning process generated significant industry attention in 2025 after disputes with offtakers over whether commissioning cargoes constituted contracted deliveries. At full capacity, Plaquemines will rank among the top five LNG liquefaction plants globally and materially increase US export volumes.
10. Ichthys LNG — Northern Territory, Australia
INPEX (66.245%) and TotalEnergies (26%) operate the Ichthys LNG facility near Darwin, with two trains plus a condensate splitter giving approximately 8.9 MTPA of LNG capacity. The facility processes gas from the Ichthys field in the Browse Basin, approximately 820 kilometres offshore. TotalEnergies’ 44 MTPA global LNG portfolio spans interests in Australia, Russia, the USA, and Africa — Ichthys is among the operator’s largest single-asset positions outside its home market.
Top 10 LNG Liquefaction Plants: Capacity Outlook to 2030
The combined nameplate capacity of the top 10 LNG liquefaction plants will increase substantially before 2030. Qatar’s North Field expansion alone adds approximately 49 MTPA, while the US Gulf Coast — already the world’s second-largest export region — is adding capacity through Corpus Christi Stage 3, Plaquemines Phase 2, and multiple projects in pre-FID or construction phases. Australia is managing a feedgas transition at legacy facilities, with Woodside’s Scarborough development and Santos’s Barossa replacement project the key supply additions. GIIGNL projects total global liquefaction capacity exceeding 600 MTPA by the early 2030s, driven primarily by Qatari and American expansion.
For a parallel view of the receiving side of the LNG chain, see the top 10 LNG terminals in the world — covering regasification infrastructure across Europe and Asia.
Which is the world’s largest LNG liquefaction plant?
Ras Laffan in Qatar is the world’s largest LNG liquefaction complex, with approximately 77 MTPA of capacity across 14 trains operated by QatarEnergy LNG. The North Field expansion programme is targeting 126 MTPA by 2027, extending Qatar’s lead as the world’s largest LNG exporter.
How many LNG liquefaction plants are there in the world?
There are approximately 40 operational LNG liquefaction facilities across more than 20 countries, with global nameplate capacity reaching approximately 460 MTPA in 2025. A further 150+ MTPA is under construction or in advanced development, primarily in Qatar and the United States.
What is an LNG liquefaction train?
A liquefaction train is a single processing unit within an LNG export facility. Gas is fed into the train, cooled to approximately -162°C, and liquefied for loading onto tankers. Most large LNG plants operate multiple parallel trains — typically 3.5 to 8 MTPA each — allowing phased development and continued operation during maintenance shutdowns.
Which country has the most LNG liquefaction capacity?
Qatar leads global LNG liquefaction capacity at approximately 77 MTPA, followed by Australia at approximately 88 MTPA across multiple facilities, and the United States at approximately 80 MTPA. The US is the fastest-growing exporter, with multiple new projects completing between 2024 and 2027.
What new LNG liquefaction plants are coming online in 2026?
Key projects adding capacity around 2026 include Corpus Christi LNG Stage 3 (Cheniere, approximately 10 MTPA), Plaquemines LNG Phase 2 (Venture Global, part of 20 MTPA total), North West Shelf Scarborough feedgas (Woodside, targeting first LNG 2026), and continued progress on Qatar's North Field East expansion. These projects represent the largest single-year capacity addition since Australian LNG peaked in 2019.