Pakistan’s powergen cost up 38% as spot LNG prices surge
Soaring LNG prices have propelled up Pakistan power generation cost by 38% year-on-year, analysis by local brokerage Arif Habib Ltd shows. The latest cargo, delivered in late July, was purchased from TotalEnergies $21.88/MMBtu – the highest price Pakistan LNG ever paid for a spot cargo.
Record US gas output, sub-$3.50 Henry Hub underpin LNG exports
Record US natural gas production and sustained sub-$3.50/MMBtu Henry Hub prices are set to strengthen the economics of both LNG export expansions and new gas-fired power projects and, even as global demand tightens.
Pakistan pays for supplier concentration
Pakistan LNG Ltd reportedly accepted a lone bid from TotalEnergies on 20 July, at $21.88 per MMBtu for a cargo nominally delivering on 27 to 28 July. It was the seventh spot purchase since QatarEnergy declared force majeure on 4 March, and the fifth procured for a July delivery window. The four before it cleared successively higher, at $16.74, $17.37, $18.23 and $20.70, the last of which was already the most expensive spot cargo Pakistan had bought since 2022. Not all of the purchased cargoes had berthed at the time of writing, according to our data.
HPCL opens LNG supply hunt
India’s Hindustan Petroleum Corp is calling on LNG producers and traders to register interest in supplying spot cargoes and term deliveries. The state-run refiner is understood to look for 1mtpa of LNG under contracts stretching 10-15 years.
Asian LNG demand falls for second year as Qatar disruption bites
Asian LNG demand set to fall for a second consecutive year as Qatari supply disruption pushes spot prices to levels that force buyers to cut volumes and switch fuels. Wood Mackenzie forecasts Asia Pacific demand at 257 million tons (Mt) in 2026, down from 268 Mt in the previous year and a peak of 278 Mt in 2024.
South Korea cuts LNG-burn, leans more on coal and nuclear
Nuclear restarts and coal has displaced LNG in the South Korean power mix as Qatari supply fell away, allowing utilities to defer procurement rather than chase spot cargoes priced above $20 per MMBtu. As a result, LNG’s share in Korean power generation fell to an estimated 22–24 percent in H1-2026, down from roughly 26–28 percent in H1 2025.
Hormuz blockade risk, US toll threat lift TTF winter prices
Bullishness abounds for LNG prices and winter 2026/27 contracts at Europe’s benchmark TTF gas trading hub after US President Donald Trump threatened to impose a US toll on shipments through the Strait of Hormuz. For spot prices, the sell-off after the peace memorandum was short-lived.
Indian utilities’ spot LNG purchases surge 300%
India’s power-sector LNG buying stays high into June as utilities scramble to offset missing term cargoes. None of India’s 16 GW gas-grid connected powergen capacity received contracted Qatari LNG cargoes in April and May, amid widespread heatwaves. Provisional June data indicate the shortfall persisted, keeping spot procurement at unusually high levels.
Term charters back in favour as shield against price spikes
Long-term LNG charters – not spot cargoes – are buyers’ favourite, once again, as they provide greater protection against freight rate spikes and shipping disruptions. This trend could tighten global LNG carrier availability for years to come.
Singapore secured sufficient LNG to last until year-end
Singapore has secured enough LNG from outside the Middle East to last through the end of this year, as state-owned buyer GasCo accelerated spot purchases to replace cargoes affected by disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz. Negotiations are underway for long-term offtake from the US, Australia and Canada.
