Sept 8 (Reuters) - U.S.-based energy company EQT Corp ( EQT )

will purchase 1 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of

liquefied natural gas from Commonwealth LNG's export facility

under development on the Gulf Coast near Cameron, Louisiana, for

20 years, the companies said on Monday.

EQT said it will acquire the LNG on a free-on-board basis at

a price indexed to Henry Hub and will market and optimize its

cargos internationally.

The additional export capacity will allow EQT to further

expand its domestic direct-to-customer strategy into the global

energy markets, the company said in a statement.

Last week, Commonwealth LNG

secured

final non-free trade agreement export authorization from

the U.S. Department of Energy for its export facility in

Louisiana.

Commonwealth's facility is designed to produce 9.5

million tonnes of LNG annually and received approval from the

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

in June.

The company plans to make a final investment decision in

the fourth quarter of this year, with first production targeted

for 2029.

The United States has been working to cement its

position as the world's biggest exporter of LNG, surpassing

previous leaders Qatar and Australia.

In

January

, President Donald Trump lifted a pause on new LNG export

permits, which had been imposed by the previous administration

in 2024 to review public interest criteria, shortly after

assuming office.

EQT recently signed a

similar 20-year deal

with NextDecade ( NEXT ) to purchase 1.5 mtpa of LNG from

its Rio Grande export facility in Texas.