More Countries Set to Join Asian LUG Importers' Club

摘要

As demand in existing LNG markets softens, the emergence of new buyers across Asia over the next few years should offer some solace to sellers that are finding it harder and harder to sell the super-chilled gas into Northeast Asia. Dwindling domestic gas supplies and increasing demand from growing populations are prompting governments and end-users to turn to LNG imports as an interim solution to displace expensive oil alternatives or until domestic production catches up. And while coal will remain a key fuel for power generation, low international oil and LNG prices, higher government-set domestic gas prices and increasing supply from North America are encouraging power utilities to import LNG directly, rather than rely on supplies from state energy firms (WGI Nov. 19'14).