America’s LNG Dominance Anchors Global Energy Security

BusinessEnergyAmerica’s LNG Dominance Anchors Global Energy SecurityByDavid Blackmon,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. David Blackmon is a Texas-based public policy analyst/consultant.Follow AuthorApr 21, 2026, 08:31am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright speaks during 2026 CERAWeek by S&P Global energy conference in Houston, Texas on March 23, 2026. (Photo by RONALDO SCHEMIDT / AFP via Getty Images)AFP via Getty ImagesEven with a ceasefire nominally in place, the Iranian conflict has so far resulted in the loss of crude oil and LNG shipments via the Strait of Hormuz, creating further instability and renewing fears a global energy shock will continue or worsen if the conflict renews. The situation in the Middle East highlights the importance of American gas production and LNG exports. LNG Exports - America’s Energy Superpower?Already the globe’s foremost exporter of LNG, commanding about 20 percent of the market, the U.S. industry is being asked to ramp up to higher levels to help fill the void created by the loss of about a fifth of the world’s LNG due to the war. Energy Secretary Chris Wright recently told the CERAWeek conference in Houston that natural gas is “America’s superpower.” Considering current events, that almost seems an understatement. “Natural gas,” Wright noted, “is our largest and cheapest source of electricity. It is our main heating fuel. It is our main industrial fuel, our petrochemicals, fertilizer.” Wright added that natural gas is crucial to U.S. success in the race for AI dominance, calling it the key to make AI “economically compelling to bring back energy-intensive manufacturing to our country.” While “oil remains the most important source of energy in the world,” Wright pointed out that it is slowly losing market share to natural gas, which he says is both less e...