LNG

SEFE, Germany’s state-owned gas importer, has been instructed to buy and store an additional 8 TWh of natural gas by December 15, as Berlin seeks to strengthen winter supply in the face of tight global LNG markets and persistent supply risk to shipments from the Middle East.

TotalEnergies, SOCAR and Abu Dhabi’s XRG have taken a final investment decision on the full development of Azerbaijan’s offshore Absheron field, securing up to 6 bcm/y of new Caspian gas from 2029. The additional volumes, destined mostly for Turkey via the TANAP pipeline, will help Ankara reduce reliance on spot LNG.

The Port of Corpus Christi has received approval from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) on September 23 for its requested offshore discharge permit – the final permit needed for the proposed desalination plant. By securing a dedicated seawater supply via the projected desalination plant, the LNG developers can argue that additional capacity will have lower freshwater impacts, potentially smoothing future permitting for Stage III expansions or brownfield debottlenecks.

Lithuania’s Ignitis has agreed to buy U.S.-linked LNG from EQT, under a sales and purchase agreement (SPA) covering 10 cargoes delivered each year between 2027 and 2036. The deal marks Ignitis first long-term SPA with a US company and introduces Henry Hub-linked pricing into its procurement portfolio.

The UK government is actively considering chartering or funding a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) to shore up gas storage and import capacity amid warnings the country could face supply shortfalls by the 2030s. The option emerged in the government’s response to a consultation by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) on gas supply security, which found the market alone is unlikely to deliver sufficient resilience against high-impact stress scenarios.

First commercial shale gas from Australia’s Beetaloo Basin is on track to flow in September from Tamboran Resources’ Shenandoah South drilling site, unlocking one of the world’s largest undeveloped gas resources and potentially underpin new LNG export capacity.

QatarEnergies has notified Edison that it is unable to deliver three LNG cargoes, extending force majeure until the end of September, the Italian utility stated. A total of 24 cargoes, representing a combined 3 bcm of natural gas, are now subject to force majeure over the April-September delivery window, with Edison saying it has already replaced most of the lost volumes.

Soaring LNG trade flows from the US and Canada have offset around 70% of the lost supply via the Strait of Hormuz, though further military escalations in the region and delays in restoring Qatari exports keeps could prolong market tightness into 2027, the International Energy Agency (IEA) warns.

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.

UTM Offshore is forging ahead with Nigeria’s first floating LNG project after securing a 15-year gas supply agreement that removes one of the biggest obstacles to reaching final investment decision (FID), now expected in Q4-2026.