Asia

Pockets of spot LNG demand continue emerging across Asia, particularly among price-sensitive natural gas buyers, but the market remains loose heading into summer as larger buyers across the region and in Europe remain on the sidelines.  Thailand’s PTT LNG Co. Ltd. bought nine summer cargoes for about $13/MMBtu in a tender that closed last week,…

Global natural gas consumption is expected to rebound this year as easing price volatility and rising economic activity boosts LNG imports from China and South Asia and North America’s power market continues to cut coal-fired capacity, according to the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF). Researchers with the organization headquartered in Qatar in the annual report…

Notwithstanding the fact that temperatures in Northwest Europe can stay cool through April or later, March 31 is a good date to think of as the “end of winter” for European gas markets.

LNG vessel rates continue to plunge, recently hitting some of their lowest points in months, as more ships have become available to move the super-chilled fuel, particularly in the Atlantic Basin. Spark Commodities on Thursday assessed the roundtrip cost of moving an April cargo from the United States to Europe at $49,500/day, down $1,000 from…

New Asian LNG buyers are making forays into the spot market amid a drop in regional prices, but global volatility and the risk of more price spikes could create hurdles for government policies to reduce reliance on coal. Asian spot prices fell in February and March because of a mild winter, lower demand from Europe…

Evaluating the European gas market is one of the natural first steps for anyone looking to measure the impact of LNG on the U.S. natural gas market.

Exporters of LNG from Australia’s eastern coast could be required to divert spot cargoes for the domestic market this winter as the country’s energy market operator forecasts increased peak demand and greater future supply uncertainty. The Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) recently published an updated outlook of the country’s domestic supply risks and the potential…

Global natural gas prices continued falling Monday, picking up where they left off last week amid warmer weather, ample supplies and turmoil in the banking sector that has weighed on commodities.  In Europe, the May Title Transfer Facility (TTF) contract fell 13% last week. It gave up another 8% on Monday and closed at its…

European natural gas prices corrected on Monday after big gains at the end of last week as warmer weather is forecast and wind power output increases. The prompt Title Transfer Facility (TTF) contract fell by 6% Monday, dipping below $16/MMBtu. The benchmark jumped 22% on Friday amid labor strikes in France that have brought LNG…