Hormuz set to reopen June 19 as US, Iran finalise peace deal
The Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for roughly 20% of global LNG supply, will reopen to shipping on Friday, June 19, after the US and Iran formally sign a peace deal to end the war, US President Donald Trump confirmed. Brent crude futures fell 4.1% in early trading on Monday on the news.
Supermajors to rein in buybacks if oil stays below $70
Lower oil prices are eroding profit margins of global oil and gas companies, forcing deeper structural cost cuts and threatening share buyback programs. If oil prices stay below $70 per barrel, supermajors’ free cash flow could plunge by up to 30 percent in 2026, Wood Mackenzie forecasts.
Shizuoka Gas signs term LNG contract starting April 2027
Shizuoka Gas, a Japanese city gas utility, has signed a seven-year contract to import LNG starting April 2027 indexed at a 12% slope to Brent crude oil prices, traders told S&P Global Commodity Insights. Shizuoka is reportedly seeking to source five cargoes per year under the contract, concluded on a delivered ex-ship (DES) basis.
LNG exporters face margin squeeze due to drop in oil prices
Oil-indexed LNG exporters brace for a squeeze in profit margins as ICE Brent crude oil prices fell to $65 per barrel on October 5, down from $70/bbl at last week’s high, after OPEC announced a production increase on Sunday. Rystad Energy reckons ICE Brent will unlikely to hold above $60-65/bbl in 2026 unless OPEC+ adjusts its sanctions on Russia and Iran severely limits exports.
Brent’s flirt with contango could make OPEC+ cut supply
If the Brent crude oil market begins to “flirt with contango,” OPEC+ will likely cut production, Rystad reckons. The primary goal of oil and gas producers remains maintaining a backwardated market structure, with crude prices impacting oil-indexed gas and LNG contracts.
Pakistan seeks to re-sell LNG, considers floating storage
Pakistan LNG Ltd (PLL) is looking to resell excess cargoes and considers storing tankers offshore. Excess term LNG deliveries could incur state energy companies nearly $400 million in losses, especially since the rapid solar PV build-out cuts short the need of burning gas for generating electricity.
Sembcorp signs 10-year LNG import contract with Chevron
Sembcorp Industries has entered a Sale and Purchase Agreement (SPA) with Chevron to import up to 0.6 million tons of LNG per annum over ten years, starting from 2028. Sembcorp has two gas-fired cogeneration plants, producing 1,219 MW of electricity and 1,000 tonnes of steam per hour on Jurong Island, where a hydrogen-ready plant is also under development.
Price of oil-indexed and HH-linked LNG converges
Prices of delivered LNG into North-East Asia, the world’s premium gas market, are converging for oil-linked contracts and those indexed to the US Henry Hub. Most of recent term oil-linked deals for cargoes shipped to Asia have been in the 12.0%-12.5% DES range, while volumes available earlier from post-FID projects are attracting a premium.
