Sept 19 (Reuters) - Commodities giant Glencore ( GLCNF )

has signed a non-binding agreement to buy 2 million tonnes per

annum of liquefied natural gas from Commonwealth LNG along with

equivalent natural gas supply from Kimmeridge Texas Gas, the

companies said on Thursday.

The 20-year supply agreement is expected to be finalized

among all parties by the fourth quarter.

In June, private equity firm Kimmeridge increased its

stake in Commonwealth LNG to over 90% through its unit KTG.

The U.S. LNG market is experiencing a boom, with the country

surpassing Qatar as the world's top exporter, as new technology

allows shale producers to tap massive reserves and help wean

Europe off Russian gas while providing Asian buyers with a

greener alternative for power generation.

Glencore ( GLCNF ) has previously signed LNG deals with other U.S.

energy firms, including

Marathon Oil ( MRO )

and

Cheniere

Energy, as part of its strategy to expand its

presence in the

LNG market

.

Commonwealth plans to green light its LNG export facility in

Cameron, Louisiana, by the first half of 2025, with commercial

operations expected to begin in 2028.

However, a U.S. court ordered federal regulators in July to

reassess the impact of greenhouse gas emissions from the project

after environmental groups filed a lawsuit claiming the issue

was not adequately addressed.