LNG

Slovakia’s national gas company, SPP, is negotiating with Russia’s state-owned energy giant, Gazprom to increase natural gas imports this year and next.

According to Reuters, the discussions began before the recent energy price surge linked to Middle East tensions affected global LNG exports.

Slovakia’s energy situation has become more complicated since the end of Russian gas transit through Ukraine in December, 2024.

SPP said in November that it had received only about one-third of the Russian gas volumes originally expected for 2025.

Historically, Russian supplies accounted for the majority of Slovakia’s annual gas imports, amounting to roughly 3 bill cu m.

The Russian LNGC ‘Buran’ with a cargo from Russia’s Arctic LNG 2 export facility has changed course away from the Mediterranean, following the sinking of the ‘Arctic Metagaz’, allegedly by a Ukrainian drone launched from Libya, LSEG tracking data showed.

Cheniere Energy is to offer, subject to market and other conditions, senior notes, due 2036 and senior notes, due 2056.

China’s ENN Natural Gas Co has announced that, as certain conditions under the LNG sale and purchase agreements (SPAs) with ET LNG Export Co and Cheniere, it has terminated the agreement signed with the former and amended the SPA with the latter.

Attacks continued from both factions with no end in sight.  

The number of LNGCs sailing from US export terminals this week rose to 39, up four.

Their LNG carrying capacity was 148 bill cu ft, up 13 bill from the previous week.

Nine vessels departed from Sabine Pass, eight from Plaquemines, six each from Corpus Christi and Freeport, four from Cameron, and three each from Calcasieu Pass and Cove Point, according to data supplied to the US Energy Information Administration (EIA) by Bloomberg Finance.

Some 100% of all Yamal LNG February exports went to the EU, totalling 1,543,347 tonnes, the German NGO Urgewald has claimed.

According to South Korean media, cautious optimism is growing that its shipbuilding industry could benefit from rising tensions in the Middle East.

This stems mainly from expectations of stronger demand for vessels to transport LNG from the US, after Qatar suspended operations at its Ras Laffan plant on Monday.

“Korean shipbuilders can take advantage of the Strait of Hormuz blockade and the suspended LNG exports from Qatar,” DS Investment & Securities analyst, Kim Dae-seong told the Korea Times.

He predicted that Asian and European countries would turn to the US as an alternative source of LNG imports, given the mounting uncertainty over Middle Eastern supply chains.

“The recent crisis will likely lead to purchase agreements and final investment decisions on US LNG projects under the phase of front-end engineering designs,” Kim said. “Unlike Chinese shipyards relying heavily on orders from China and the Middle East, (South) Korean shipyards can benefit from an increase in shipbuilding orders for US projects.”

Michael Sabel, CEO of Venture Global LNG told investors that the company has the world’s largest amount of uncontracted LNG cargoes and is ready to help stabilise markets.

"With the largest available incremental LNG capacity in the world, the United States will play a critical role during this historic disruption in the market," he said during the company’s earnings call.

Yang Jong-seo, a senior researcher at the Korea Eximbank Overseas Economic Research Institute, said future orders for LNGCs will depend on how much the US can ramp up its LNG production.

He added that the key factor is whether the conflict continues into the Autumn, when heating demand typically pushes up global LNG consumption.

The US navy could soon begin escorting vessels through the Strait of Hormuz, President Trump has said.

A New York state judge has rejected UK oil major Shell’s request to throw out an arbitration award that favoured Venture Global in a dispute over the US LNG plant developer’s alleged improper sale of LNG.