Europe

EU Energy Ministers Advance Proposal to Limit Russian LNG Imports – The Offtake

European Union (EU) energy ministers agreed Tuesday to advance a measure that would give members the option of banning Russian LNG imports.

March 28, 2023
Eastern Mediterranean Natural Gas Seen Boosting LNG Supplies for Europe

Eastern Mediterranean Natural Gas Seen Boosting LNG Supplies for Europe

The European Union (EU) has been eyeing a boom in Eastern Mediterranean natural gas production to ease price volatility, but new research suggests more volumes could be a mid-term source of relief rather than a long-term solution. In a report for Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy, the authors posit that as much as…

March 28, 2023
Strikes in France Push European Natural Gas Prices Higher, but Demand Seen Weakening – LNG Recap

Strikes in France Push European Natural Gas Prices Higher, but Demand Seen Weakening – LNG Recap

Colder weather and the possibility of continued labor strikes at French import terminals helped lift European natural gas prices on Monday. The May Title Transfer Facility (TTF) gained about 5% last week after forecasts shifted colder for the remainder of the month and into early April. The contract gained another 3% Monday to finish just…

March 27, 2023
LNG Vessel Rates Plummet as More Ships Available for Cargoes to Europe

LNG Vessel Rates Plummet as More Ships Available for Cargoes to Europe

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…

March 23, 2023
Understanding Europe’s Outsized Role in the U.S. Natural Gas Market – Column

Understanding Europe’s Outsized Role in the U.S. Natural Gas Market – Column

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.

March 22, 2023
Cold Snap, Bullish Storage Expectations Fail to Send Natural Gas Futures Higher; Spot Prices Steady

Cold Snap, Bullish Storage Expectations Fail to Send Natural Gas Futures Higher; Spot Prices Steady

Natural gas futures probed higher early Monday, with bulls seizing upon favorable near-term weather, steady export demand and market expectations for a seasonally robust inventory withdrawal. But intensifying stress in the global financial system ultimately curbed the momentum and left futures in the red as markets closed. At A Glance: Mixed weather outlook All eyes…

March 20, 2023
Global Natural Gas Prices Keep Falling as Demand Weakens, Banking Crisis Weighs on Markets – LNG Recap

Global Natural Gas Prices Keep Falling as Demand Weakens, Banking Crisis Weighs on Markets – LNG Recap

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…

March 20, 2023
Dunkerque LNG Restarts, but Strikes Continue at Other French LNG Import Terminals

Dunkerque LNG Restarts, but Strikes Continue at Other French LNG Import Terminals

Operations restarted at the Dunkerque LNG import terminal in Western France on Friday more than a week after labor strikes brought flows from the facility to a minimum.  Workers at the terminal on Thursday decided to end a strike at the plant that started March 7, a Fluxys spokesperson told NGI. The Brussels-based company operates…

March 17, 2023
Labor Strikes Extended in France, Forcing LNG Traders to Find New Destinations for Cargoes

Labor Strikes Extended in France, Forcing LNG Traders to Find New Destinations for Cargoes

Labor strikes in France that have cutoff the country’s LNG imports have been extended and are poised to stretch into next week. However, the disruptions largely have been brushed aside by the European natural gas trade amid a broader selloff in global energy markets. The General Confederation of Labor (CGT), which represents trade workers, has…

March 15, 2023
TTF Rally Ends Swiftly as Weather Shifts, but Upside Risk Remains – LNG Recap

TTF Rally Ends Swiftly as Weather Shifts, but Upside Risk Remains – LNG Recap

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…

March 13, 2023