France May Say 'Non' to US LNG

摘要

French Energy and Environment Minister Segolene Royal is talking about banning imports of US LNG just as Cheniere Energy's export program starts ramping up. French firms Engie, EDF and Total have all signed up for US volumes, but Royal said last week she is investigating legal ways of preventing imports of US gas produced from hydraulic fracturing after France imposed its own moratorium on tracking on environmental grounds in 2011 and revoked some shale permits (WGI Feb.18'15). She said she'll make sure EDF and Engie don't make the same mistake again, writing to their chief executives to say French firms need to lead by example. "For the future," she said, "I ask you to no longer sign gas import contracts that would harm France's energy policy, and to check the origin and production method of the gas you import and make sure it exclusively comes from conventional sources."