LNG

Crude oil and LNG shippers are waiting for more details after U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington would impose a 20% charge on all cargoes transiting the Strait of Hormuz, a move the U.N.’s International Maritime Organization said it strongly opposes as unlawful.

Golden Pass LNG Train 1 is still finding its feet, having exported only two cargoes to date – one to Belgium and one to Taiwan – with roughly 0.14 mpta combined, according to LNG Journal calculations. Unplanned maintenance is understood to hamper Golden Pass LNG’s ramp-up nearly two months after its inaugural cargo.

Europe is turning to the US as the most flexible source of replacement gas for lost Qatari volumes, with the share of US LNG soaring to nearly 60% of all LNG arrivals into the EU since the Iran war escalated, according to Kpler data.

Feedgas intake at Golden Pass LNG, developed by ExxonMobil and QatarEnergy, has been increased as the Texan mega-project is getting closer to producing its first cargo. Feedgas intake has been increased to 300 million cubic feet (mcf) since early Thursday, up from 200 mcf, LSEG data shows.