If Tellurian’s Charif Souki Is Right, LNG’s Prospects Are Golden

If Tellurian’s Charif Souki Is Right, LNG’s Prospects Are Golden

Not so long ago, the United States was short of natural gas, making it harder to feed a flourishing nation. Imports would be the key: liquefied natural gas, or LNG, which is frozen before it is shipped and re-gasified. Remarkably, the shale gas revolution changed that paradigm in 2009. The U. S. would no longer need such imports; rather, it would become a global LNG export magnate. But that transition was not painless. And one of the Founding Fathers of the LNG movement has been Charif Souki, a Lebanese-born investment banker turned energy pioneer. Souki is an explorer, no pun intended: he is in a perpetual search for natural gas deposits to integrate with his liquefaction facilities — a trailblazer who has been kicked down but who continues to get up and forge ahead. At age 68, he has altered America's economy by transforming it into an energy powerhouse. For all of his contributions, Souki was awarded the U. S. Energy Award by the United States Energy Association — the organization's highest award and a recognition of his services to humanity. This reporter was honored to serve as the event's master of ceremonies last week. "I am a businessman trying