U.S. natural gas dealmaking has surged in 2025 and is set to accelerate, analysts say, driven by record power demand from AI data centers, rising LNG exports and renewed Asian investment. The United States is poised to see a record surge in power demand this year, led by data centers' outsized energy needs, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) says. A steep pullback in benchmark gas prices last year from 2022's multi-decade highs after sanctions on Russia slowed talks, but a subsequent rebound, along with long-term LNG and domestic demand, has kept global buyers active. Already the world's top LNG exporter, the United States is set to lift nameplate capacity to 115 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) this year, EIA data show.