Milestone LNG export shipment set to leave US for Brazil

NEW ORLEANS - The Associated Press

The first international shipment of liquefied natural gas in decades from the lower 48 states is poised to leave for Brazil from Louisiana.

Cheniere Energy Partners L.P. announced on Feb. 25 that a ship bound for Brazil was being loaded with LNG at its Sabine Pass facility in southwest Louisiana.
     
The shipment is significant because it highlights the strength of U.S. natural gas production, which has surged because of advancements in fracking and shale gas extraction.
     
Cheniere is among several companies developing natural gas exporting facilities. In statements, the company characterized the shipment as a "historic event" opening "a new chapter for the country in energy trade."
     
Still, it's far from clear if the market for exports will be robust now that international natural gas prices have been dragged down by low oil prices.