China, which has a large and growing thirst for gas imports, has been an emerging growth market for the expanding U.S. LNG industry (though cargoes to China have fallen of late).

But the trade war could threaten investment in expensive new and expanded export facilities.

"Given that LNG requires considerably larger and more specialized investments in import infrastructure than crude oil, mechanisms that constrain LNG markets may prove more troublesome for U.S. exporters," ClearView Energy Partners said in a note.

Per Reuters, the gas penalties are "casting a shadow over U.S. export terminals that would propel the United States into the world’s second-largest LNG seller."
"The tariffs will push Chinese buyers to other sellers in Asia and the Middle East because the U.S. will no longer be considered a low cost option," analyst Ira Joseph of S&P Global Platts tells the Wall Street Journal.

The LNG tariffs, however, are lower than the 25% that China had previously threatened, and shares of the big U.S. LNG exporter Cheniere Energy closed higher yesterday and Go deeper the forever trade war.