Therese Robinson

Algeria’s Sonatrach has signed several agreements this year with foreign investors to help boost the state-owned company’s oil and natural gas output under a plan introduced last year.

Southeast Asia’s recent heatwave is leading to a jump in power demand for air conditioning, increasing demand and competition for May and June spot LNG cargoes in the region.

The European Commission (EC) this week is considering a ban on transshipments or re-exports of Russian LNG through European Union (EU) ports as part of Brussels’ latest sanctions package. 

Israel is exploring options for building an onshore or floating LNG (FLNG) facility offshore, potentially expanding the country’s lucrative natural gas exports and its foothold in the global market.

Egypt has halted all LNG exports beginning in May as lower domestic natural gas production has forced the North African country to divert supply to local power demand during the summer months.

Despite fuel restrictions at four of Jera Co. Inc.’s gas-fired power plants in Tokyo last month, Japan’s LNG imports are again expected to decline this year. 

The Netherlands is expected to permanently close the huge Groningen natural gas field, the Dutch Senate announced this week.

State-owned Petronas has started construction on Malaysia’s third floating LNG (FLNG) facility to better help it capitalize on stranded natural gas assets amid failing production from other fields. 

Asian LNG buyers continue to snap up cheap cargoes as a mild winter in Europe has left storage inventories there high and more vessels are diverting to the region. But as spot prices move higher, buying activity is already slowing. 

Australian LNG exports have ticked upward so far this year, driven in large part by higher volumes from the country’s east coast facilities.