Latest News

Asia area LNG maintains six-week high amid emerging need

Asian area liquefied gas (LNG) costs were little moved this week, hanging on to a sixweek high amid emerging area need in both southeast Asia and Europe.

The average LNG rate for May delivery into northeast Asia << LNG-AS > rose 1.1%, or $0.10, from the previous week to $9.50. per million British thermal systems (mmBtu), a level not seen. because Feb. 9, market sources estimated.

The rate has hovered between $9 and $10/mmBtu today,. preventing some Asian purchasers from purchasing spot volumes as. rates went back closer to $10/mmBtu, said Masanori Odaka,. senior expert at Oslo-based consultancy Rystad Energy.

Southeast China is set for a hot turn to summertime, with daily. optimal temperatures forecast to be several degrees Celsius. above long-term averages for the coming week, recommending scope. for some early power sector cooling need, said Samuel Good,. head of LNG rates at product pricing company Argus.

Good added that everyday highs in northeast China, South Korea. and Japan are also forecast to rise above seasonal averages in. the coming week or more, however are most likely to fall short of the. heights required to substantially drive power demand higher.

Market players are keeping a close eye on Japan, where the. yen moved to a 34-year low versus the U.S. dollar on Wednesday.

A weaker yen does raise the import cost for Japanese. utilities for both long-term oil-indexed cargoes and spot. purchases, but it is skeptical that it would hinder Japan's. ability to protect adequate oil & & gas supply to meet domestic. demand, a market source informed .

In Europe, gas prices fluctuated between $8-$ 9/mmBtu this. week, amidst strong storage stocks and milder weather condition. forecast.

Rystad's Odaka stated providers with U.S.-origin LNG are. incentivized to send their deliveries to Europe rather than Asia. due to longer shipping distances, regardless of Asian area prices. being around $1 higher than in Europe today.

S&P Global Commodity Insights evaluated its everyday North West. Europe LNG Marker (NWM) price criteria for cargoes provided in. May on an ex-ship (DES) basis at $8.552/ mmBtu on March 27, a. $ 0.25/ mmBtu discount rate to the May gas cost at the Dutch TTF hub.

Argus evaluated the May shipment rate at $8.45/ mmBtu, while. Stimulate Products evaluated the shipment for April at. $ 8.43/ mmBtu.

In the United States, the Baltimore bridge collapse is not. expected to affect the LNG market, with the closest LNG. terminal, Cove Point LNG, confirming operations are not. affected.

Laura Page, supervisor of gas and LNG insight at data analytics. firm Kpler, stated that the ballast Maran Gas Vergina reached. the terminal on March 27 and is presently filling.

We do continue to monitor activity at Freeport, which is. going through unexpected upkeep at two of three trains. The. plant's LNG exports cut in half to simply one cargo last week and a. number of ballast vessels continue to wait outside the port,. Page stated.

On the other hand on spot LNG freight, Atlantic rates was up to. $ 46,500/ day on Thursday, said Glow Commodities analyst Qasim. Afghan. Pacific rates also eased to $48,500/ day.