MLG is right to promote LNG exports to Japan

While there aren’t a lot of details at this time and the actual pipelines need to be built, the Rio Grande Foundation has long (for over a decade) advocated for New Mexico to be a player in liquefied natural gas exports and we are enthusiastic about the Gov.’s recent announcement about exporting New Mexico LNG to Japan. According to reports, “no contracts are inked for infrastructure or commerce… those are still a long way away.”

Japan, with little in the way of oil or natural gas domestically, must import large amounts of energy and natural gas from New Mexico and other Rocky Mountain states is a natural fit. The biggest challenge is physically getting the gas from here to there.

Whatever the challenges, exporting New Mexico’s natural gas to Asia is a real opportunity for New Mexico. And, since we’ve been discussing this since 2013 it is certainly not a new concept. Could it have been done before if it were a higher priority? What does the future hold? Those are impossible questions to answer. We are pleased to see this discussion moving into high gear and hope it will result in significant exports soon.