|
In Briefs -- December-January 2012
January 31, 2012 |
Australia Pacific LNG Nears Second Train Sanction
Shell Takes Control Of Crux Field Off Northwest Australia
Thailand May Expedite LNG Terminal Expansion
Inpex Delays FEED On Indonesia's Abadi Floater
GAIL Seeks Partner For Floating Regas Terminal
Rome Tells Eni To Cut Snam Stake
Italian Import Project Gets Ministerial Nod
Lithuania Picks Höegh To Supply Floating Regas Unit
Excelerate Gets Nod For Puerto Rico Terminal
Alaskan Governor Wants LNG Export Project |
| |
Turkey Refocuses On Gas Market Reform
January 31, 2012 |
| Gas supplies failed to cover Turkish power sector needs earlier this month, when a cutoff of electricity from Bulgaria and cold weather caused widespread blackouts. Ankara is now expected to refocus its attention on market reform to achieve a more secure supply of gas. |
| |
Korea’s LNG Imports Surge On Strong Economy
January 31, 2012 |
| Korea’s LNG imports are surging on the back of a robust economy and strong electricity demand to power the nation’s export industries. According to official customs data, the nation imported 36.8 MMt in 2011, 12.9% higher than in 2010. |
| |
Pakistan’s Import Initiative Bogs Down – Again
January 31, 2012 |
| Following the award of pipeline capacity licenses to three LNG terminal developers last year, efforts to progress the projects at Port Qasim near Karachi have bogged down. Finding supplies has been tricky while lining up guarantees to support for downstream gas sales has proved even trickier. |
| |
Euro Crisis Further Delays Spot Market Rebound
January 31, 2012 |
| European markets have not exactly started 2012 with a bang, and it is looking increasingly likely that the regional recession will keep spot prices at best on par with long-term pipeline contracts for two, maybe even three, years before rebounding. |
| |
Action Packed Year For Asian Term Market In 2011
January 31, 2012 |
| Last year was an action packed one in Asia as buyers lined up over 37 MMt/y of new long-term supply, including the first export deals from the US in more than four decades. Four projects in Australia crossed the finishing line in the eight months through January, while Qatar scored a series of sales at the end of 2011. |
| |
Spot Markets Soften In Post-Holiday Lull
January 31, 2012 |
| Mild weather, high inventories and economic weakness have pushed prices in Asia down to the high $14/MMBtu range, well below fourth quarter’s $18/MMBtu peak. Prices west of Suez are also softer, and the decision by Argentina’s Enarsa to withdraw its third tender just six days after it was issued is another bearish sign. |
| |
No End In Sight For Falling US Gas Prices
January 31, 2012 |
| US gas prices continued to trend downward during January and show no signs of recovering next month. Prices hit a nadir of $2.25/MMBtu on January 20 as warmer than usual weather boosted already record storage levels. |
| |
Argentina Stocks Up For 2012
January 31, 2012 |
| This year should mark yet another record breaking one for LNG imports into Argentina, a country that has seen deliveries increase five fold since they commenced in 2008. |
| |
Woodside Hits Brakes At Australia’s Browse LNG
January 31, 2012 |
| Woodside and its four partners in the 12 MMt/y Browse LNG project in Western Australia are confident the government will amend their upstream retention leases to buy more time to reach a final investment decision. |
