Demand for US natural gas for export — including both pipeline and LNG exports — is set to skyrocket through the next few decades, a US Department of Energy official said Thursday, adding the country was on a path to become a top supplier to the international market. “We’re going to have substantial increase in pipeline exports to Mexico and LNG exports are going to explode,” Carmine Difiglio, DOE deputy director for energy security, said at Hart Energy’s DUG East Conference in Pittsburgh. US gas production peeked last year at an average of around 80 Bcf/d before beginning to decline somewhat. However, the production drop-off is expected to be short-lived as demand for gas for export increases, Difiglio said. “We expect the growth will resume on a fairly steady basis and reach 83 Bcf/d by the end of 2017,” he said. Difiglio noted that the dramatic increase in shale […]