The Department of Energy's Office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management must authorize natural gas exports under Section 3 of the Natural Gas Act. Exports to countries with which the US has a free trade agreement receive automatic authorization, while exports to non-FTA countries require a separate public-interest determination, which can involve a lengthy review process.

Although both modes fall under the same end-use category in aggregate export statistics, LNG shipments are reported under distinct Schedule B codes reflecting liquefied state, while pipeline gas is reported separately. Analysts tracking US natural gas export volumes typically disaggregate the two because their pricing, contract structures, and destination markets differ substantially.