Asia Starts Year Hungry for LNG

摘要

Northeast Asia's three biggest LNG importers saw collective purchases jump 12% in January to 15.3 million tons. Although mild winter weather in China eased concerns about acute gas shortages, LNG demand continued to grow (WGI Dec. 18'13). LNG imports totaled 2.65 million tons in January, 76.2% more than a year earlier and 8.9% higher than in December, while pipeline imports jumped 19.6%year-on-year. China racked up a record fuel bill of $ 1.83 billion for the month - double what it paid in January 2013 - relying on additional deliveries from traditional suppliers as well as an estimated four spot cargoes. Imports from Qatar leapt by 69% year-on-year, from Malaysia by 109%, from Indonesia by . 106%, from Yemen by 183% and from Australia by just 0.02%. Early forecasts for 2014 are for total gas demand to grow by 11% year-on-year, with LNG imports increasing by 20% and pipeline imports by 17.9% (WGI Jan.22'14).