Prospects for Gas Imports in the U.S. Energy Market

In addition to domestic considerations, future levels of gas imports into the U.S. market will be shaped to an important extent by the policies of gas exporters. Exporters must understand that the U.S. will remain one of the world's major gas producers for the foreseeable future and that U.S. import needs will be modest in relative terms compared to those of other industrialized countries. The history of U.S. gas imports from Canada and Algeria makes clear that imported gas must be competitively priced with other available energy sources and that market forces will be a central element in determining the level of imported gas.