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CEDIGAZ’s Monthly LNG Trade Bulletin of May 2015

Posted in LNG Markets, LNG Service, Natural Gas Statistics on

This blog post analyses the main findings of the LNG Monthly Bulletin. The LNG Monthly Bulletin provides monthly traded volumes and prices by importer and country of origin, it is part of the LNG Service by Cedigaz.

Asian LNG market is easing

Asian LNG market is easingIn Asia, LNG purchases of the regional top-3 buyers (Japan, South Korea and China) decreased by 5.5% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2015. Imports fell from 42 million tons to 39.7 million tons, pulled by a 19% drop in South Korea (-2.4 million tons) where higher inventories and another mild winter pushed imports down. Lower demand for natural gas was highlighted by the drop in KOGAS’ domestic sales (-7.6%), mainly due to a fall in sales to the power sector (-14.3%).

In China, imports declined by 8.6% from 5.6 million tons to 5.1 million tons while in Japan, LNG purchases grew slightly from 23.7 million tons in Q1 2014 to 24.3 million tons in Q1 2015, even though mild temperatures cut total power demand.

International Gas Prices – May 7 , 2015

Posted in International Gas Prices, Natural Gas Market, Natural Gas Prices on

NBP: A return of the 2014 scenario?

NBP and Coal priceThe NBP price averaged €22.1/MWh ($7.0/MBtu) in April, down by 1% over March. There is greater downward pressure on the quotations for early May, which are at €20.9/MWh ($6.8/MBtu), close to the levels predicted by the markets for this summer (€20.4/MWh on average). A return of the 2014 scenario, with its sharp drop in prices during the summer (€16-17/MWh between June and August 2014) remains possible this year: demand is lower than in the past, especially in the power sector (20 bcm since 2012 compared to 30-35 bcm before then; the market share for natural gas has fallen from 41% in 2011 to 29%; renewable energies are up from 9 to 17%).

2014: A SECOND YEAR OF MODERATE GROWTH OF GLOBAL GAS ACTIVITY

Posted in Analysis, Natural Gas Market, Natural Gas Statistics, Press release on

2014 has been a very mixed year for natural gas, according to the First Estimates 2014 released by the International Association CEDIGAZ today. For the second consecutive year, gas demand slowed down in 2014, with subdued activity in the global gas industry at all stages of the chain.

Top1 consumming countriesGlobal natural gas consumption (including storage variations) was sluggish in 2014 and remained at a quite similar level than in 2013. This can be explained by increased competition between energies, especially coal, the economic slowdown (Europe, China, Russia…), geopolitical turmoil (Russia-Ukraine conflict) and the mild weather conditions which negatively impacted the expansion of gas demand (Europe, Asia). The global consumption trend showed regional disparities. Natural gas demand in North America and the Middle East continued to register strong expansion, but the growth in Asia slowed down, while consumption in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and Europe declined dramatically. Plummeting consumption in Europe (- 10%) in particular weighed significantly on the overall trend.