LNG

May 30 (LNGJ) - The UK is due to receive an LNG delivery next week from Qatar as prices on the UK National Balancing Point virtual natural gas market were at around $10.40 per million British thermal units.

   The Greek-flagged carrier “Maran Gas Leto” with 174,200 cubic metres capacity is scheduled to deliver a cargo from Qatar that was lifted on April 29 from the Ras Laffan export terminal in the Arabian Gulf. Shipping data shows that the vessel was now scheduled to arrive on June 4 at the South Hook terminal at Milford Haven in Wales after a voyage via the Spanish island of Tenerife.

Dec 17 (LNG) - Two US LNG cargoes are heading for the UK in the next week with deliveries from Gulf Coast plants in Louisiana and Texas. The 170,000 cubic metres capacity vessel “Hoegh Gannet” is scheduled to arrive on December 22 at the South Hook import terminal in Milford Haven with a shipment from the Sabine Pass plant in Louisiana. This vessel acts as both a conventional carrier and a floating storage and regasification unit. It will be followed on December 24 by the 173,000 cubic metres capacity carrier “Torben Spirit” berthing to discharge a cargo at South Hook from the Corpus Christi export plant in Texas.

March 17 (LNGJ) - Each of the two LNG import terminals at Milford Haven in Wales, Dragon LNG and South Hook LNG, will receive a shipment on March 24. The 155,000 cubic metres capacity “Gaslog Seattle” is scheduled to deliver to the Dragon facility from the Bonny Island plant in Nigeria. The 210,100 cubic metres capacity Q-Flex carrier “Duhail” will unload its Qatargas cargo at the South Hook facility on the same date.

   The shipments are scheduled as the UK National Balancing Point natural gas price has dropped to $2.80 per million British thermal units while Continental Europe’s Dutch Title Transfer Facility (TTF) price was slightly higher at $2.85 per MMBtu.

Europe’s largest LNG import terminal, the Isle of Grain facility located 45 miles southeast of London on the Medway-Thames estuary in Kent, has received 22 LNG shipments in 2020, including its 500th overall cargo, as the UK’s three terminals have unloaded around 60 shipments in two-and-a-half months.

US cargoes and others from Atlantic Basin exporters as well as Russia have been pointed at the UK as a key destination as prices have tumbled in Asia at just over $3.00 per million British thermal units for most of 2020 amid a global over-supply.

The UK National Balancing Point (NBP) price was last at the equivalent of $2.95 per MMTU, down from $3.70 per MMBtu in January, while the main Continental European price, the Dutch Title Transfer Facility (TTF), has tracked the UK benchmark, but was slightly higher at $3.00 per MMBtu.

“We’re delighted to confirm that we welcomed the 500th ship at our LNG import terminal on the Isle of Grain,” said Simon Culkin, Terminal Manager at National Grid's Grain LNG.

“The ‘LNG Merak’ berthed, delivering a cargo from Zeebrugge, and is the 22nd ship to arrive at Grain this year,” added Culkin.

The 174,000 cubic metres capacity “LNG Merak” is one of the newest vessels transporting cargoes from the Russian Yamal export plant in northern Siberia, as well as trans-shipments from ports such as Zeebrugge in Belgium.

“Since commissioning our terminal in 2005, we have taken delivery of LNG from 13 countries, further strengthening the diversity and security of UK gas supplies,” Culkin stated.

LNG carrier deliveries to Grain LNG have been more than matched by the two terminals at Milford Haven in Wales, South Hook LNG and Dragon LNG, which have welcomed a combined 35 cargoes.

The growing UK’s deliveries since January have come from nations such as the US, Qatar, Nigeria, Trinidad and Russia.

LNG shipments to Britain increased by around 64 percent in 2019 compared with the previous year and 2020 is expected to be  a record year as more US capacity has come on stream.

Natural gas currently makes up 40 percent of the UK’s total energy mix, up from 35 percent in 2015.

About 45 percent of UK natural gas comes from domestic resources in the North Sea and 55 percent is imported, with 15 percent coming from LNG and 40 percent from pipeline imports, mostly from Norway.

“LNG delivers much needed flexibility and energy reliability, enabling the integration of intermittent renewable energy and provides access to affordable energy,” explained National Grid’s Culkin.

“We’re very proud that LNG, supported by our extensive infrastructure at Grain,’ he added.

LNG imports have increased significantly over the past six months all over Europe, including to other large importers such as France and Spain.