S&P Global LNG study projects $1.4T GDP boost

WSP Global Energy released a study on July 16, 2026, projecting that U.S. LNG exports will support 555,000 jobs annually and add $1.4 trillion to U.S. GDP through 2040, exceeding previous expectations. The study, 'Price and Economic Impacts of an Accelerating Export Industry,' updates a December 2024 analysis to account for a surge in LNG investment since the lifting of the U.S. LNG pause in January 2025. It forecasts that U.S. feedgas demand for LNG exports will double to 36 billion cubic feet per day within five years, making LNG the second-largest U.S. net export industry by 2031. Total investment in the LNG supply chain is estimated to exceed $1 trillion through 2040, generating $2.9 trillion in business revenues, $206 billion in tax revenues, and $630 billion in labor income. The study notes negligible impact on domestic gas prices, with household costs rising only 1.6% on average from 2026 to 2031. It also warns that curtailment of U.S. LNG exports could push global prices 50% higher and benefit Russia, which has underutilized export infrastructure.