(Reuters) -U.S. liquefied natural gas exporter Cheniere Energy reported higher first-quarter LNG revenue on Thursday, helped by higher demand for the superchilled fuel and rise in natural gas prices.

LNG, or liquefied natural gas, is natural gas cooled into liquid form for transport.

The U.S. became the world's top exporter of LNG in 2023, overtaking Australia and Qatar, and gained further momentum after President Donald Trump lifted a moratorium on new export permits in January.

Cheniere said the rise in revenue was driven by higher natural gas prices.

The reported quarter included a $725 million boost from increased Henry Hub-linked LNG contract pricing and $428 million from stronger short-term marketing sales amid elevated global gas prices, the company said in a filing.

The company reported LNG revenue of $5.31 billion for the three months ended March, compared with $4.04 billion a year ago.