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Asia spot LNG at 3-month peak on stable demand, supply interruption

Asian spot liquefied natural gas (LNG) costs edged up this week, reaching the greatest levels in 3 months, as they remained supported by consistent need and supply disruption issues.

The typical LNG cost for May delivery into northeast Asia << LNG-AS > increased to $9.80 per million British thermal units ( mmBtu), its highest given that Jan. 12, industry sources estimated.

The typical rate for June shipment was estimated at $ 10/mmBtu.

Rates had actually edged greater amid heating need in Europe, while production interruption at the Freeport LNG terminal in the U.S. likewise supported prices, stated Samuel Good, head of LNG prices at commodity rates company Argus.

While everyday optimum temperature forecasts for northeast Asia are most likely still too low to incentivise substantial power cooling demand in April and the majority of May, much of southeast Asia is set to continue experiencing heat, he included.

( This is) particularly in Thailand where everyday maximum temperatures are set to be around 35 degrees Celsius for the next few weeks.

The increase in Asian LNG prices is triggering providers with U.S.-origin LNG to think about a shift from Europe, included Masanori Odaka, a senior analyst at consultancy Rystad Energy.

Arbitrage for US-origin LNG to Asia has actually been open considering that the Week of April 2024, suggesting that providers of US-origin LNG will likely try to market their volume into Asia instead of Europe, he said.

In Europe, S&P Global Product Insights evaluated its day-to-day North West Europe LNG Marker (NWM) price criteria for freights delivered in May on an ex-ship (DES) basis at $9.044/ mmBtu on April 11, a $0.19/ mmBtu discount rate to the May gas price at the Dutch TTF center, and its highest given that Jan. 12.

Argus assessed the May shipment price at $9/mmBtu, while Stimulate Products evaluated May shipment at $8.992/ mmBtu.

This comes after Russian attacks on Ukrainian energy assets today, in addition to Freeport LNG's interruption which caused near zero gas streams on Thursday.

In late March, U.S. LNG company Freeport LNG said it anticipated two of the three liquefaction trains at the plant - Trains 1 and 2 - to remain shut up until May for assessments and repairs, while Train 3 was running.

Train 3 however experienced a trip late on April 9 that lasted into April 10, an emissions report submitted to regulators showed.

Additionally, LNG imports to Italy are projected to stay fairly supported as operations resume at Rovigo and Piombino terminals after upkeep, while deeper gas upkeep in Norway over the next two weeks might potentially tighten up EU gas supply and stimulate LNG demand, said Ana Subasic, natural gas and LNG expert at analytics and data firm Kpler.

On spot LNG freight, both the Atlantic and Pacific rates both succumbed to a 3rd successive week, said Spark Products analyst Qasim Afghan.

The Atlantic area rate fell to $43,750/ day on Friday, while the Pacific spot rate relieved to $46,750/ day.