Mexico, which imports nearly all of its natural gas, has a somewhat surprising mission: to become the world’s largest exporter of the fuel.

In spite of Mexico’s inability to export natural gas, since it produces too little of the fuel to meet its own domestic needs, its proximity to booming US reserves allows it to supply American gas to hungry Europeans and Asians. Eight liquified natural gas export projects boasting a combined capacity of 50.2 million tons have been proposed south of the border to utilize US shale. As early as next year, some operations will go online.

If all of them are completed, the Latin American nation would join a very small club of nations that ship LNG abroad, ranking fourth behind the US, Australia and Qatar. The majority of Mexico’s exports would be gas it imported in the first place, unlike those other three export heavyweights.

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