Texas Gas Has Two Big New Customers: LNG Trains and Data Centers

Texas is about to test how much new demand its gas fields can serve at once. On one side are liquefied natural gas (LNG) export plants along the Gulf Coast, several of which started up or reached final investment decision in 2026. On the other are data centers seeking connection to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) grid, many of which would be served, directly or through the grid, by gas-fired generation. Both are betting on the same supply growth from the Permian Basin and the Haynesville.

Golden Pass LNG, a joint venture between QatarEnergy and ExxonMobil, loaded and dispatched its first export cargo from its terminal in Sabine Pass, Texas, on April 22, 2026. Once its three trains are running, the plant has a total capacity of 18.1 million tons a year, and construction and commissioning continue on Trains 2 and 3. The International Energy Agency (IEA) says the Strait of Hormuz disruption and damage at Qatar's Ras Laffan site could cut cumulative LNG supply by around 140 billion cubic meters between 2026 and 2030, which strengthens the commercial case for US export capacity.

ERCOT reported to the Texas Senate in July 2026 that about 474 GW of large loads were seeking interconnection as of June, of which about 90% were data centers. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) forecasts in its September Short-Term Energy Outlook that US marketed gas production will grow by 4.5 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d) in 2026 and 4.6 Bcf/d in 2027, with the Permian and Haynesville together accounting for more than 70% of growth.

To put data center demand in gas terms: EIA data show US gas-fired plants in the utility and independent power sectors averaged a heat rate of 7,754 Btu per kWh in 2024. The two customers compete less on volume than on infrastructure and timing. The December 10 ERCOT verification report will show how much data center load is real.