Tokyo Gas, the second-largest Japanese buyer of LNG, expected to be importing around 12.5 million tonnes per annum of LNG by 2017, costing over $9 billion a year at today's prices, as it investments over $7Bln in upgrading its regasification terminals and other infrastructure.
Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corp. (Jogmec), which is in charge of securing a stable national energy supply, is to finance the stake of Japan Petroleum Exploration Co. (Japex) in the Pacific Northwest LNG project of Malaysia's Petronas.
Qatar's LNG carrier fleet owner has signed an agreement with the state energy company of Algeria, Sonatrach, to cooperate in areas such as the shipping of LNG as the Algerians struggle with feed-gas shortages at their two liquefaction plants.
GasLog Ltd., the Monaco-based LNG carrier fleet operator, said it had taken delivery of its latest fully-owned LNG carrier "GasLog Santiago" from Samsung Heavy Industries.
The LNG carrier fleet of 378 vessels made an average of 11 laden voyages in 2012, compared with 19 voyages in 2002, and the average delivery volume remained stable at around 130 000 cubic metres.
South American nations such as Argentina, Brazil and Chile posted an increase in LNG imports of 40 percent last year at a time when European demand dropped by 27 percent, and Spain knocked the UK off the number one spot as top importer in Europe.
For the second year in a row, all Asian countries with facilities recorded a growth in LNG imports, especially China and India, as weak demand in Europe provided swing supplies for Asia, according to the International Group of Liquefied Natural Gas Importers (GIIGNL).
The strong growth in LNG spot cargo and short-term trade after more than doubling in recently years is no longer there, primarily but not solely because of the lack of new supplies.
Centrica of the UK signed a deal with the US LNG export plant being developed by Cheniere Energy to buy 1.75 million tonnes per annum for 20 years.
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Japanese shipyard Imabari Shipbuilding Co. have formed a joint venture to handle the design and marketing of eight LNG carriers per annum to prepare for what they see as a surge in the global fleet.