Assessing Qatar-Pakistan LNG Deal

Pakistan has recently negotiated a good bargain with Qatar for importing $16 billion worth of liquified natural gas (LNG).

Pakistan will import as much as 20 million tons of the super-chilled gas annually from various sources including Qatar, enough to fuel about two-thirds of Pakistan’s power plants. Gas shortage has idled half the nation’s generators. A 75 percent drop in LNG prices since 2014 has  dramatically reduced the cost of the South Asian country’s energy needs, according to a Bloomberg report.

LNG arriving in Pakistan from Qatar will fetch 13.37% of the preceding three-month average price of a Brent barrel (considering the present Brent price as a proxy, that would equate to $167.5 per 1000 cubic meters), according to a report in Azerbaijan's Trend News.  It translates to $4.50 per million BTUs.

A comparison with Iran's gas deals with Turkey and Iraq indicates that Iranian gas will not be competitive with Qatari LNG on Pakistani market. In 2014 Iran was exporting gas to Turkey at above $420 per 1000 cubic meters, but the figure plunged to $225, or $6 per million BTUs, currently due to low oil price. Iran previously said that the price of gas for Iraq would be similar to Turkey's price.

International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) arbitration court has recently ordered Iran to reduce its gas price to Turkey by 15% after Turkey complained. It's not clear if Iran will comply but even if it does, its price will still be $5.10 per million BTUs, much higher than the Qatari LNG price of $4.50 per million BTUs for Pakistan.

As recently as two years ago, LNG shipped to big North Asian consumer like Japan and Korea sold at around $15 to $16 a million British thermal units. Late last year, the price hit $6.65 a million BTUs, down 12% from September, according to research firm Energy Aspects. It expects prices to fall further in Asia this year, to under $6 per million BTUs, as a wave of new gas supply in countries from the U.S. to Angola to Australia comes on line, according to Wall Street Journal.

 Petronet LNG Ltd, India’s biggest importer of liquefied natural gas (LNG), is saving so much money buying the commodity from the spot market that it’s willing to risk penalties for breaking long-term contracts with Qatar.

Will Pakistan be able to negotiate a better price with Iran? It seems difficult given the fact that Iranians have a reputation of being very difficult to deal with. Here's an excerpt about Iranians' negotiating style from Iranian-American author Vali Nasr's book "The Dispensable Nation":

"I remember a conversation in 2006 with Jack Straw, who was then Britain’s foreign secretary, about his time talking to Iran. He said, People think North Koreans are difficult to negotiate with. Let me tell you, your countrymen [Iranians] are the most difficult people to negotiate with. Imagine buying a car. You negotiate for a whole month over the price and terms of the deal. You reach an agreement and go to pick up the car. You see it has no tires. “But the tires were not part of the discussion,” the seller says. “We negotiated over the car.” You have to start all over again, now wondering whether you have to worry about the metal rim, screws, or any other unknown part of the car. That should give you a sense of what talking to Iran looks like".


Source: US EIA
Regardless of whether Pakistan succeeds in using Qatar price leverage with Iran. it's good to see Pakistan finally beginning to take advantage of historic low gas prices to alleviate its severe load-shedding of gas and electricity.

Growing Demand-Supply Gap in Pakistan

In addition to signing the Qatar LNG deal, Pakistan has launched its first LNG import terminal in Karachi and started receiving shipments from Qatar. Pakistan has also signed a $2 billion deal with Russians to build a north-south pipeline from Gwadar to Lahore. But the country needs to rapidly build up capacity to handle imports and distribution of significant volumes of LNG needed to resolve its acute long-running energy crisis.


Here's a related video discussion:
http://dai.ly/x3ccasi



Pakistan Local Elections; Indian Hindu... by ViewpointFromOverseas


https://vimeo.com/144586144



Pakistan Local Elections; Indian Hindu Extremism; LNG Pricing; Imran-Reham Split from WBT TV on Vimeo.


https://youtu.be/LZavD-tkReg





Related Links:

Haq's Musings

Can Pakistan Take Advantage of Historic Low LNG Prices?

Pakistan's Twin Energy Crises of Gas and Electricity

Affordable Fuel For Pakistan's Power Generation

Pakistan Shale Oil and Gas Deposits

China-Pakistan Economic Corridor 

Blackouts and Bailouts in Energy Rich Pakistan

Pakistanis Suffer Load Shedding While IPPs Profits Surge

Comments

Riaz Haq said…
World's Largest #LNG ship with 216,000 cubic meters from #Qatar docks at Port Qasim in #Karachi #Pakistan http://www.samaa.tv/economy/2016/03/largest-lng-ship-docked-at-port-qasim/ …

The first-ever ship of Liquified Natural Gas (LNG), after reaching an agreement between Pakistan and Qatar on LNG import last month, entered Pakistan’s maritime economic zone and was docked at Elengy Terminal at Port Qasim, Tuesday evening.

The Qatari ship is the largest vessel carrying LNG to Elengy Terminal and is one of the largest ships anchored at Port Qasim.

Its capacity is 216,000 cubic metres, said Elengy Terminal statement here.

After docking, the LNG ship was hooked up with FSRU Unit of Elengy Terminal for re-filling of gas process.

The ship would remain hooked up at the Elengy Terminal for two days till the process of re-gasification in pipeline is completed.

The next LNG ship from Qatar is scheduled to arrive at Port Qasim on March 8, 2016.

The Engro’s Elengy Terminal capacity has been enhanced to 400 mm CEFD, the statement said
Riaz Haq said…
#Iran envoy in #Delhi accuses #US, #India #LNG industry of blocking #Iran-#Pakistan-#India #gas pipeline project

http://www.newindianexpress.com/world/Iran-Pakistan-India-Gas-Pipeline-not-Possible-Iranian-Ambassador/2016/04/22/article3394553.ece …


Iranian ambassador Gholamreza Ansari also stressed that the "Americans will not let it happen".

"Those who have invested in the LNG (liquified petroleum gas) projects in India will not allow the pipeline venture to take off, he said at a media interaction at the Foreign Correspondnets' Club here Thursday evening..

"People who have invested in LNG in India, I don't think they will let any pipes to come in," he said.

"Americans are looking for the Indian market for the future and any sort of pipeline will put and end to these investments. So, I don't think pipeline can be a serious project. I am sure Americans will not let this project go ahead," he added.

He said that the Chabahar port project that will open up access to central Asia has been almost finalised.

"It has almost been finalised. Only the signatures at the ministerial level is due," he said.
Riaz Haq said…
#Pakistan Seals Major Deal for 75,000 tons of #LPG with #Iran | http://OilPrice.com http://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Pakistan-Seals-Major-LPG-Deal-with-Iran.html … #oilprice


By Charles Kennedy
Posted on Wed, 04 May 2016 18:26 | 0
Pakistan and Iran have signed a deal under which the former will import 75,000 tons of liquefied petroleum gas within a year, months after a similar agreement was inked with Qatar.

According to the deal, signed by the All Pakistan Liquefied Petroleum Gas Distributors Association and a national Iranian company, at least 6,000 tons of LPG will be imported from Iran every month over the course of a year.

In February, Pakistan and Qatar signed a $16-billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) deal which provides imports for 16 years, throwing the authorities in energy-crisis ridden Pakistan a life-line for supplies.

Related: A 4.5-Million-Barrel Per Day Oil Shortage Looms: Wood Mackenzie

The deal signed in Doha by Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa will see Qatar export 3.75 million tons of LNG to Pakistan. This is significant for Pakistan, which faces a 50% supply gap in relation to demand.

As concerns the deal with Iran, the price of the imported LPG will be in line with local market prices, according to All Pakistan Liquefied Petroleum Gas Distributors Association president Irfan Khokhar.
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In the meantime, Pakistan’s only LNG terminal at Port Qasim has converted 1.7 million tons of imported LNG and pumped more than 77 billion cubic feet of gas into the national gas distribution network. Over the course of last 13 months, some 29 LNG shipments from Qatar, Australia, Nigeria and Spain have docked at this port.

Related: The Last Great Frontier For Cheap Oil And Gas?

“This terminal alone will save up to $600 million for Pakistan through fuel substitution and will generate up to 2,000MW of electricity. The step to set up LNG import infrastructure is in the right direction and the country needs another three to four LNG import terminals to curtail the ongoing crisis,” Pakistani media quoted terminal manager Amir Mahmud as saying.
Riaz Haq said…
#Pakistan prepares its second #LNG import terminal http://reut.rs/2bL9MlS via @Reuters

http://www.reuters.com/article/pakistan-lng-idUSL3N1B41ST

Pakistan is taking another step towards becoming a key buyer of liquefied natural gas (LNG), signing a deal to purchase a Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) for its second import terminal.

Singapore's BW Group said in a statement on Monday that it would deliver the FSRU to Pakistan GasPort Limited (PGPL) in the fourth quarter, as well as providing the terminal at Port Qasim, Karachi with LNG regasification services in a 15-year agreement.

The South Asian country has been earmarked as an up-and-coming demand outlet for the oversupplied LNG market. Along with Egypt and Jordan, Pakistan was a newcomer to the LNG import market in 2015, helping drive up demand and absorb growing world supplies from a wave of new projects.

The new import terminal will be able to receive 600 million cubic feet of natural gas per day and is expected to be commissioned for operations by mid-2017.

The terminal will reduce Pakistan's gas deficit by 30 percent and ensure fuel for 3,600 megawatts of new power generation plants being constructed in the country, said PGPL chairman Iqbal Ahmed.

Pakistan started up the 3.5 million tonnes per year Engro Elengy LNG terminal, the country's first LNG import facility, in Port Qasim last March. Pakistan shipped in a total of 1.02 million tonnes of LNG in 2015, and has imported 1.78 millions tonnes in the first seven months of this year.

"We are seeing weaknesses more in the North Asian market, and (South) Korea ... and a lot of the strong (demand) growth in where you might expect," said Neil Beveridge, a Hong Kong-based analyst at AB Bernstein, referring to emerging economies such as Pakistan.

Qatar, which signed two term supply contracts with Pakistan this year, is the country's largest LNG supplier.
Riaz Haq said…
Next #LNG importing giant #Pakistan readies for buying spree of 600 billion cubic feet per day | ET EnergyWorld

http://energy.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/oil-and-gas/next-lng-importing-giant-pakistan-readies-for-buying-spree/55198906

Pakistan LNG Ltd has launched a mid- and a long-term tender to purchase a combined 240 shipments of liquefied natural gas (LNG), the company said on its website, as the country emerges to become a major gas importer.

Pakistan, which can only meet around two-thirds of its gas demand, is expected to issue further tenders seeking twice as much supply to fill out remaining capacity at its new import terminal at Port Qasim, in the commercial capital Karachi, according to one Pakistani energy expert.

The mid-term tender covers a period of five years and calls for 60 shipments, while the long-term tender is for 15 years and 180 cargoes, according to information presented in the tender documents released on the company's website on Tuesday.

Suppliers must submit bids by Dec. 20.

Pakistan has ploughed billions of dollars into LNG infrastructure, including the construction of a second LNG import terminal and pipelines linking Karachi with Lahore in the Punjab region, the nation's industrial heartland.

The current crop of tenders are a small part of Pakistan's projected demand as the country works to bring two more import terminals online within the next couple of years, making it a potent force in global gas markets.

The country first began buying LNG last year and has already contracted supplies from trading firm Gunvor and Qatargas, the world's biggest LNG producer.

Cheap gas is tempting out new importers from the Middle East to Africa and Asia, helping stave off a deeper price rout hurting producers' bottom lines.

Cheaper than fuel oil and cleaner-burning than coal, LNG suits emerging economies racing to bridge electricity shortfalls and support growth on tight budgets.

The Port Qasim LNG terminal, which is due to go online in mid-2017, has a capacity of 600,000 million cubic feet per day.

"This tender is for 200 million cubic feet. That means another 400 million will need to be tendered out soon," said the industry source.

A Pakistan LNG official in September said the country was working on commercial as well as government-to-government LNG deals.
Riaz Haq said…
#Pakistan Sees Bigger #LNG Profile; Imports to Surge From 4.5 Million Tons in 2016 to 30 Million Tons by 2022

https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2017/07/10/business/10reuters-pakistan-lng-exclusive.html

Pakistan says it could become one of the world's top-five buyers of liquefied natural gas (LNG), with Petroleum Minister Shahid Abbasi predicting imports could jump more than fivefold as private companies build new LNG terminals.

Outlining Pakistan's ambitious plans - which, if fully implemented, could shake up the global LNG market - Abbasi told Reuters that imports could top 30 million tonnes by 2022, up from just 4.5 million tonnes currently.

Cheaper than fuel oil and cleaner burning than coal, LNG suits emerging economies seeking to bridge electricity shortfalls and support growth on tight budgets.

(For a graphic on LNG market share by region click http://reut.rs/2uGUu9X)

"Within five years, I don't see any reason why we should not be beyond 30 million tonnes (in annual LNG imports). We will be one of the top five markets in the world," Abbasi said.

That kind of jump would represent one of the fastest growth stories in the energy industry, comparable to what China has done in many commodities - but there are doubts whether Pakistan can achieve its ambitions, given the complexity and cost of expansion projects.

"It's always possible, but seems very difficult as they will need much more (regasification) capacity and downstream pipeline capacity," said Trevor Sikorski at Energy Aspects, a London-based industry market researcher. "There are infrastructural issues and financial issues."

"Still, it is one of the key LNG growth markets, and its demand will help tighten up the market that has threatened to lurch into over supply."

Abbasi said no one took Pakistan seriously after a decade of botched attempts to bring LNG to the country, but this has changed with the construction of new LNG terminals and gas plants. He said foreign suppliers are now arriving in Pakistan - where energy shortages have prompted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to promise he'll end the country's frequent blackouts.

"Before, we used to go out to talk to LNG suppliers. Now they're coming to us," Abbasi said.

"(LNG) is really what has saved the whole energy system. It has been a huge success in Pakistan and it will continue," he said after Sharif on Friday inaugurated a new Chinese-built LNG power plant that uses General Electric turbines.

GETTING CONNECTED

Pakistan built its first LNG terminal in 2015 and, after some delays, a second terminal is due to come online in October, doubling annual import capacity to about 9 million tonnes.

A consortium of Exxon Mobil, Total, Mitsubishi, Qatar Petroleum and Norway's Hoegh is expected to decide by September whether to build a third LNG terminal for about $700 million, Abbasi said.

Pakistan has dropped plans to finance up to two more terminals, as private companies have said they would finance these themselves and use Pakistan's existing gas network to sell directly to consumers.

"That's been the real success and that's where the growth will come from," Abbasi said, adding that about 10 million homes are linked to gas connections in Pakistan - a nation of around 200 million.

"In the last four years, we would have added two million additional connections. We are really ramping that up."

If Pakistan achieves its ambitious development goals, it could significantly erode market oversupply, which has helped pull down Asian LNG spot prices by more than 70 percent since 2014 to around $5 per million British thermal units (mmBtu).
Riaz Haq said…
Woodside sees Qatar LNG expansion hurting U.S. LNG growth

https://www.reuters.com/article/us-woodside-lng-idUSKBN1A50KT

MELBOURNE (Reuters) - A plan by top global liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter Qatar to ramp up output will stall the expected growth of U.S. LNG exports, the head of Australia's Woodside Petroleum, operator of the country's biggest LNG plant, said.

Qatar surprised rivals this month when it lifted a self-imposed ban on development of the North Field, the world's biggest natural gas field, saying it would boost LNG output by 30 percent to 100 million tonnes a year in five to seven years.

That put it on course to it wrest back the title of the world's top LNG exporter from Australia, which is set to overtake Qatar in the next two years.

Woodside, operator of the North West Shelf project, said Qatar's plan showed the emirate shares its outlook for solid demand growth for LNG and gives importers like China, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh the supply certainty they need to lock in gas expansion plans.

"The Qataris will not take up all of the available market," Woodside Chief Executive Peter Coleman told Reuters in an interview on Thursday.

Qatar's expansion plan will compete directly with Woodside, which is looking to develop the Browse and Scarborough fields off Western Australia within the next decade - its so-called Horizon 2 projects - by processing gas through the North West Shelf plant or other existing facilities.

"On the challenge side, low cost will get into market, and that's what we're doing with our Horizon 2 projects. We're trying to make sure they're low cost, and they're well positioned, because we're targeting the Asian market," Coleman said.

Projects that will find it harder to compete will be those that need billions of dollars in new infrastructure and coal seam gas-to-LNG projects that need continuous capital spending to drill new wells, he said.

The International Energy Agency last week forecast the United States would become the world's second largest LNG exporter by the end of 2022, but Coleman said the Qatari expansion would stymie that growth.

"It'll keep a lid on U.S. expansions, because U.S. expansions are transportation-challenged," he said.

U.S. LNG flows largely into the Atlantic market, where it competes against pipeline gas from Russia and Norway.
Riaz Haq said…
GE sets gas turbine record in #Balloki #Punjab #Pakistan. #LNG - #Power Engineering International

http://www.powerengineeringint.com/articles/2017/07/ge-sets-gas-turbine-record-in-pakistan.html

GE sets gas turbine record in Pakistan

07/28/2017
By Tildy Bayar
Features Editor


GE has beat its global record for first fire of an H-class gas turbine in Pakistan.

Along with Chinese EPC partner Harbin Electric International Company, GE said it completed the first test in 66 days from delivery on-site.
It added that grid synchronization of the gas turbine was achieved in 74 days, another record.
Two 9HA.01 gas turbines and one steam turbine were supplied to the 1.2 GW LNG-fuelled combined-cycle Balloki power plant in Punjab, currently under development by Pakistan’s government through the National Power Parks Management Company Limited (NPPMCL).
The plant is scheduled for commissioning later this year. It will feature a primary re-gasified LNG fuel system, a secondary diesel fuel system, water cooled condensers and a cooling tower.
The first turbine is now producing up to 380 MW, GE said.
In a statement, the firm emphasized the “strong collaboration” with NPPMCL and Harbin Electric in driving the project.
The previous record was set at Pakistan’s 1230 MW Haveli Bahadur Shah plant, where the duration from gas turbine delivery to first fire test was 74 days according to GE.
Pakistan is the first country in the MENA-Turkey-South Asia region to install 9HA turbines.
Rashid Mahmood Langrial, CEO of NPPMCL, said, “We are committed to delivering on the government’s vision to strengthen power generation in Pakistan and to meet the growing needs for power for residential and commercial use.
“With the first fire and synchronization of the first gas turbine, Balloki is on schedule to enter operation and will support the people and national economic growth of Pakistan.
“The record completion of first fire is a strong demonstration of the extraordinary teamwork that is going into the project to ensure its timely commissioning.”
Pakistan is actively working on boosting its energy security. Earlier this month, the nation signed an agreement with France’s Agency for Development (AFD) for $192m in loans to bolster its energy sector against growing demand.
Planned work includes modernizing the 1 GW Mangla hydropower plant and improving transmission efficiency.
Riaz Haq said…
Pakistan, India imported 25m tons of LNG last year

http://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/pakistan-india-imported-25m-tons-of-lng-last-year/

South Asia, long a backwater for energy markets, is emerging as a hotspot for liquefied natural gas (LNG) with Pakistan and Bangladesh set to join India as major consumers, helping to ease global oversupply that has dogged the market for years.

Pakistan started importing LNG in 2015 after developing its first terminal within schedule and budget. A second is about to become operational and a third is expected to be completed next year.
With Bangladesh set to join the club of importers next year, the region could import 80-100 million tonnes a year by mid-2020s, analysts said, making it the world’s second biggest import region, ahead of Europe.

“By 2025, depending on our national demand, we will import anywhere from 2,000 to 2,500 mmcfd of gas,” Hamid said. Those imports would add to plans from India and Pakistan to buy 50 million and 30 million tonnes of LNG per year, respectively, by mid-2020s.
“LNG imports in South Asia are expected to rise four-fold from 22 million tonnes per year in 2016 to over 80 million tonnes per year by 2030,” said Mangesh Patankar, head of Asia-Pacific business development at energy consultancy Galway Group.
Should all plans in the region go ahead and Sri Lanka also starts imports, this figure could rise to 100 million tonnes, industry project data shows. That would push South Asia’s demand ahead of Europe as the world’s second biggest LNG import region by 2020, though it would still lag North Asia’s 150 million tonnes of annual imports.
The boom in demand will help ease oversupply in LNG markets, which have resulted in a more than 70% price fall from their 2014 peaks to $5.75 per million British thermal units.
Source: Reuters
Riaz Haq said…
#Pakistan PM Abbasi inaugurates 2nd #LNG Terminal at Port Qasim – Daily Pakistan

https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/pakistan/pm-abbasi-inaugurates-lng-terminal-2-at-port-qasim/

Addressing the event, Abbasi said the LNG Terminal-2 was established in a record 330 days. “If you don’t add more gas into the system, you cannot fight the energy crisis,” he insisted, adding that other methods to produce energy are either too expensive or too slow.

Talking about the challenges faced during the project, the prime minister said that many people had questioned it when it started but “Port Qasim came through” and the terminal started functioning in less than 14 months “which is exemplary.”

The premier further said that previous governments had made several attempts to introduce LNG as a source of energy in the country, “but only the PML-N government had succeeded in doing so.”

He said load-shedding will become history by end of November this year.

During the meeting with a delegation of businessmen a day earlier, the premier had said China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects were the lifeline of economic development in Pakistan, hence the business community should take full advantage of the CPEC projects.

He arrived in Karachi on Saturday on a two-day visit.

Earlier in August, an official at the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources said that imports by the LNG Terminal-1 on Port Qasim fulfill 25 per cent of the national gas shortage. The first terminal had received 102 shipments of LNG, the prime minister said.
Riaz Haq said…
Pakistan to lock another 3 mil mt of LNG in term contracts by year-end


Singapore (Platts)--28 Sep 2017 232 am EDT/632 GMT

https://www.platts.com/latest-news/natural-gas/singapore/interview-pakistan-to-lock-another-3-mil-mt-of-27875446

Pakistan is currently in negotiations to secure an additional three million mt of LNG in long-term contracts by the end of the year to supply its new LNG floating terminal due to arrive by December, according to M. Adnan Gilani, chief operating officer with Pakistan LNG Ltd.

The negotiations are taking place with over half a dozen potential suppliers on a bilateral government-to-government basis, Gilani said at an interview with S&P Global Platts Thursday on the sidelines of the 9th CWC LNG Asia Pacific Summit, held in Singapore September 19-22.

"We hope to have two to three government-to-government agreements signed by the end of this year," Gilani said. "In the interim, we will secure around four spot cargoes a month [the equivalent of 3 million mt/year] until our contracts start."

The new supply agreements will increase Pakistan's total LNG contractual commitment to more than 11 million mt/year, as the country aims to resolve a decade-long energy crisis, driven by mounting gas consumption and faltering domestic production.

The new contractual volumes will be delivered to Pakistan's second floating, storage and regasification unit -- with a capacity of 4.5 million mt/year -- due to arrive at Port Qasim by the end of the year.

Currently, imports are being delivered to the Exquisite, an FSRU with a similar capacity, with another two due start up in the second half of 2018, all in Port Qasim.

Pakistan term LNG contracts fromo 2018

OIL INDEXATION

As with PLL's previous supply agreements, the new deals will also be priced against international crude oil benchmarks, Gilani said.

PLL aims to change the electricity feedstock landscape by replacing fuel oil with regasified LNG, so LNG priced at a low slope to crude would guarantee the competitiveness of LNG over crude.

"Because of the fuel-oil substitution effect, the risk of oil prices moving in one direction or another is less of a concern; as long as it is oil linked, it is always better for us compared to fuel oil," Gilani said.

The excess use of fuel oil in power generation as a result of Pakistan's decade-long gas shortage has cost the government an extra $1 billion-$2 billion/year.

The country's consumption of diesel and fuel oil, a more expensive alternative to gas in power generation, peaked at 387,140 b/d in fiscal year 2014-15 (July-June), according to data from Pakistan's Oil Companies Advisory Council, before falling 1% in fiscal 2015-20, following the startup of the country's first LNG import terminal in March 2015.

SPOT, SHORT TERM

In the longer term, Pakistan aims to allocate a quarter of its LNG purchases to the spot and short-term markets, Gilani said.

"Initially, our goal is to solve our energy crisis. We have long-term downstream commitments, so we do not mind going to mid-to-long term initially," he said.

"Over the course of time, we will be able to cater to our variable non-cyclical demand... and allocate about a quarter of our portfolio to spot and short term.

PLL is currently purchasing four cargoes per month on a short-term basis as it awaits the start of new term volumes.

In the company's most recent tender, issued Tuesday, PLL sought four cargoes for delivery in January, with an award due to be announced November 3. PLL's previous tender, for four December cargoes, received 15 bids from a total of six sellers: Vitol, Engie, Gas Natural Fenosa, Gunvor, Trafigura and BB Energy. The lowest offer, at 13.98% of ICE Brent, was submitted by BB Energy. An award is yet to be announced.
Riaz Haq said…
THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE > BUSINESS
LNG supply: Pakistan seeks further fee cut for North-South pipeline

https://tribune.com.pk/story/1539653/2-lng-supply-pakistan-seeks-fee-cut-north-south-pipeline/

Pakistan has asked Russia to make a further reduction in the tolling fee for pumping liquefied natural gas (LNG) through a planned $2 billion North-South pipeline that will bring energy for consumers in Punjab.

“Pakistan is seeking to further push down the fee to $0.78 per million British thermal units (mmbtu) in talks with Russia,” a senior government official said while talking to The Express Tribune.

Earlier, Moscow had demanded $1.2 per mmbtu for gas transmission. However, a negotiating committee, set up with approval of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC), later agreed on 85 cents per unit.

At present, the two sides are finalising terms and conditions of a commercial agreement to pave the way for execution of the project.

“Pakistan and Russia have discussed parallel ways of implementing the project amid fears of sanctions on the Russian companies nominated to execute the project,” the official said. “After the two sides sign the commercial agreement, groundbreaking of the project will take place.”

Riaz Haq said…
Exclusive-Exxon Exit Deals Blow to Pakistan Plans for LNG Imports

https://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2017/10/30/business/30reuters-pakistan-lng-exxon-mobil.html

Exxon Mobil has pulled out of a major project in Pakistan, in a potential blow to plans to boost imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) after years of winter shortages.

Differences among the six-member group behind the project in Port Qasim in Karachi mean French oil major Total and Japan's Mitsubishi may also quit and join a rival scheme, government officials and industry sources told Reuters.

A senior Pakistani government official put the chances of success for the project, set to be Pakistan's third and biggest by import capacity, at 10-20 percent due to the disagreements.

A highly-developed pipeline grid, extensive industrial demand and the biggest natural gas-powered vehicle fleet in Asia after China and Iran make Pakistan an easy fit for LNG and official estimates show imports could jump fivefold to 30 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) by 2022.

The new project would include a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU), where LNG will be converted back into gas for feeding into the country's grid.

Qatar Petroleum [QATPE.UL], the world's biggest LNG producer, Turkish developer Global Energy Infrastructure Limited (GEIL) and Norway's Hoegh LNG, which will provide the FSRU, are the other partners.

While Exxon has pulled out, the U.S. company was now negotiating to join a separate project, Hasil Bizenjo, Pakistan's Maritime Affairs minister in charge of ports, said.

"They are thinking to build a new terminal in Port Qasim," Bizenjo told Reuters in the Pakistan capital Islamabad, adding that Mitsubishi and Total were also in talks about taking stakes in another consortium.

Exxon was pulling out because it had "issues with partners", particularly the developer, GEIL, one energy official said. Exxon's move leaves in doubt a multi-billion dollar deal Qatar has already struck with GEIL for the sale of up to 2.3 million tonnes of LNG annually over 20-years.

Exxon Mobil, Total and GEIL declined to comment, while a Mitsubishi spokesman said that the Japanese company has been continuing its talks with partners over the project.

Qatar Petroleum did not respond to requests for comment.

NEW INVESTORS?

LNG imports have transformed Pakistan's energy map since the country's first import facility was introduced in 2015.

If the second LNG terminal proceeds without glitches the South Asian nation will not suffer winter gas shortages for the first time in more than 10 years, energy officials say, in a likely boost for Prime Minister Shahid Abbasi's ruling party before the next general elections, due in mid-2018.

Government officials and industry sources said talks are underway to bring new players into the project, including Swiss trading house Vitol [VITOLV.UL], which declined to comment.

Rival traders Trafigura and Gunvor are already developing LNG projects in Pakistan, betting the country will account for a rising share of future profits and LNG trade.

Pakistan plans to add its second LNG import terminal by the end of this year, but private companies have proposed building six more largely around Port Qasim.
Riaz Haq said…
#Turkey, #Iran, #Pakistan see big trade boost with #Qatar after #Saudi led blockade @AJENews

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/12/turkey-iran-pakistan-big-trade-boost-qatar-171203175422055.html

The move by Turkey, Iran and Pakistan to increase bilateral trade with Qatar, following a Saudi-led blockade, has benefited all four countries, according to experts.

Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt and Bahrain cut diplomatic ties with Qatar and imposed a land, air and sea blockade on it on June 5.

Speaking on Sunday on the sidelines of the Gulf Studies Forum in Qatar's capital, Doha, analysts said the crisis has helped Iran, Pakistan and Turkey increase bilateral trade with Qatar, as well as open new commercial routes and strengthen political ties.

-----

Pakistan, which has historically held strong ties with all GCC countries, chose to stay neutral in the immediate aftermath of the blockade. However, its then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif visited Riyadh in an offer to mediate between the GCC countries.

Sharif, who spent seven years in exile in Saudi Arabia following a military coup against his government in 1999, urged all countries to "find an early resolution to the impasse" in a statement issued from his office following his return.

However, the statement went on to reaffirm "the strong commitment of the government of Pakistan to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Saudi kingdom".

This subtle tilt towards Saudi Arabia was down to Sharif's long history with the Kingdom and its rulers, according to Zahid Shahab Ahmed, of Pakistan's National University of Science and Technology.

"Sharif has long-standing personal interests in Saudi Arabia. His family has invested heavily in the country while they were in exile there," Ahmed told Al Jazeera.

Sharif also relied on Qatari leadership in his fight against the Panama Papers corruption charges, which is why "Pakistan found itself in a situation where it was stuck in a fight between two brothers.

"It opted for the middle ground and it has benefited Pakistan's relationship with Qatar. There has been the opening of a direct trade route between Pakistani and Qatari ports, Pakistan has agreed to send more workforce to Qatar and the LNG agreement was already in place," said Ahmed.
Riaz Haq said…
THE EXPRESS TRIBUNE > BUSINESS Higher prices force Pakistan to scrap LNG spot purchase deals
Higher prices force Pakistan to scrap LNG spot purchase deals
By Zafar Bhutta Published: January 12, 2018

https://tribune.com.pk/story/1606333/2-higher-prices-force-pakistan-scrap-lng-spot-purchase-deals/

ISLAMABAD: The government has decided to ink direct liquefied natural gas (LNG) supply deals with more energy-rich countries in the hope of securing cheaper contracts compared to spot purchases from energy companies.

The decision came after Pakistan received higher bids for spot purchases, which led to cancellation of a couple of contracts.

At present, Pakistan has a 15-year government-to-government LNG import agreement with Qatar, which has been shipping gas since March 2015. Now, the government has got engaged in talks with other countries as well including Russia and Malaysia to clinch state-to-state supply deals.

“State-owned Pakistan LNG Limited has been forced to scrap deals for two LNG ships due to higher quoted rates. Bids were invited for four cargoes and in response foreign companies made offers in the range of 13.2% to 16% of Brent crude oil price,” said a senior government official while talking to The Express Tribune.

Qatar is supplying LNG to Pakistan at 13.37% of Brent price and global commodity trading firm Gunvor is also bringing cargoes at the same rate. Apart from these, Pakistan LNG Limited sought bids for short- and long-term purchases and secured contracts at the best rate of 11.64% of Brent crude price. Short-term deal was signed with Gunvor whereas the long-term contract was won by Italian energy giant Eni.

The two companies will supply 200 million cubic feet of gas per day (mmcfd), meaning Pakistan LNG Limited needs to secure contracts for an additional 400 mmcfd, which will be supplied to three LNG-based power projects of 3,600-megawatt production capacity in Punjab.

Already, the second LNG terminal has started commercial operations in late November 2017 at Port Qasim in order to dedicate 600 mmcfd of LNG for the three power plants.

According to the government official, Pakistan LNG Limited planned to make spot purchases for the additional 400 mmcfd through six ships – two ships by Eni and Gunvor and the remaining four through spot purchases.

Consequently, the company invited bids, but the offers were made at higher rates compared to those for the existing deals.

Vitol submitted bids at 15.9147% of Brent price for March 8-9 delivery and 13.8301% for delivery on March 22-23. Trafigura offered its bid at 15.0591% of Brent price for March 27-28 delivery and BB Energy came up with the lowest bid at 13.2701%.

Earlier, these companies technically qualified for the supply of four cargoes in February 2018 at higher rates.

BB Energy submitted its bid for February 6-7 delivery at 15.731% of Brent price and Gunvor offered to bring cargo on February 16-17 at 16.0857%.

For February 21-22 delivery, Trafigura submitted its bid at 15.8488% whereas for February 26-27 delivery, the company quoted 14.9887% of Brent price.

Earlier, these companies technically qualified for the supply of four cargoes in February 2018 at higher rates.

BB Energy submitted its bid for February 6-7 delivery at 15.731% of Brent price and Gunvor offered to bring cargo on February 16-17 at 16.0857%.

For February 21-22 delivery, Trafigura submitted its bid at 15.8488% whereas for February 26-27 delivery, the company quoted 14.9887% of Brent price.
Riaz Haq said…
#Pakistan played bug #gas firms to save $600 million. After 2 years of negotiations #Qatar refused to lower price for #LNG. Pakistan then sought public bids for 120 cargoes in open markets bringing bids from big suppliers like Shell & BP https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-09-09/playing-gas-giants-off-each-other-saved-pakistan-600-million via @markets


Pakistan said it saved more than $600 million over the first 10 years of a natural gas supply deal by pitting some of the world’s biggest sellers against each other.

A report from the state’s oil marketing company presented two weeks ago to a senate committee, and reviewed by Bloomberg News, details how the 2016 deal came together with Qatar, the world’s largest supplier of liquefied natural gas. It also sheds a rare light on such high-stakes energy deals, which are almost exclusively settled behind closed doors and stay hidden from public scrutiny.

The maneuvering by Pakistan came after two years of negotiations hit an impasse as Qatar refused to lower its offer price for LNG. So Pakistan sought leverage on the open market in late 2015, publicly seeking 120 cargoes in two large tenders, which brought in bids from suppliers including Royal Dutch Shell Plc and BP Plc.

While negotiations with Qatargas Operating Co. were under way, the tender was “issued to fetch maximum number of bidders and best price option,” the presentation said. “The strategy helped bring down prices with Qatargas and saved $610 million."

Pakistan then informed Qatar about the lowest bid, from Switzerland-based Gunvor Group Ltd., which the Middle East supplier agreed to match. Pakistan still purchased some LNG from Gunvor, awarding it the first tender. But the volumes it sought from the second tender ended up in the final Qatar deal, bulking it up by 25 percent.

The head of a senate committee now scrutinizing the deal, Mohsin Aziz, confirmed the details of the presentation in an interview last week. Pakistan State Oil Co. and Qatargas officials didn’t respond to requests for comment. Gunvor and BP declined to comment. Shell said it looks forward to future LNG options in Pakistan, without directly commenting on the tender.


The deal with Qatar, which was eventually settled for 3.75 million metric tons annually over 15 years, marked Pakistan’s emergence as an LNG buyer. The country turned to imports after its own declining production forced some factories to shut and caused blackouts. Imports have grown rapidly since early 2016, with Pakistan the seventh-largest LNG buyer globally in August, according to Bloomberg vessel-tracking data.
Riaz Haq said…
#Qatar Petroleum to enhance #investment in #Pakistan. #LNG #gas http://disq.us/t/36rcydu

Doha: Qatar Petroleum President and CEO Saad Sherida Al Kaabi held talks in Islamabad with Imran Khan, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, on cooperation in the field of energy.


Al Kaabi reviewed Qatar Petroleum’s global portfolio and activities, particularly its efforts to help meet growing global demand for natural gas. He also expressed Qatar Petroleum’s keen interest to enhance its investment in Pakistan and to build on the existing solid relations between both sides.


Qatar Petroleum to enhance investment in Pakistan


The Peninsula
Doha: Qatar Petroleum President and CEO Saad Sherida Al Kaabi held talks in Islamabad with Imran Khan, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, on cooperation in the field of energy.

Al Kaabi reviewed Qatar Petroleum’s global portfolio and activities, particularly its efforts to help meet growing global demand for natural gas. He also expressed Qatar Petroleum’s keen interest to enhance its investment in Pakistan and to build on the existing solid relations between both sides.


Al Kaabi also stressed the importance Qatar Petroleum places on Pakistan as a promising energy market after the signing of the recent LNG agreement, and the commitment to secure its future energy needs, particularly LNG.

On his part, Khan welcomed Qatar Petroleum’s investment in Pakistan’s energy and petroleum sectors. He assured Al Kaabi of the Pakistani government’s full support and cooperation in this regard.
Riaz Haq said…
#LNG imports in #MiddleEast plummeting. 37% slump in 2018 & prolonged negative outlook is in contrast to region’s 2-year LNG #gas demand surge. Oil prices barely enough to balance the budget of #Gulf monarchies of #SaudiArabia, #UAE, https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-01-30/the-middle-east-s-once-hot-lng-market-faces-a-decade-long-slump via @markets

The Middle East was a bright spot for global liquefied natural gas demand in 2015. Now imports have plummeted so much that it could take a decade to recover.

Last year’s 37 percent slump and the prolonged negative outlook is in contrast to the region’s two-year LNG demand surge that outpaced global growth, according to BloombergNEF and ship-broker Poten & Partners Inc. data. The Middle East is now expected to make up less than 4 percent of global imports for at least eight years.

There are only five importers -- Egypt, Kuwait, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and Israel -- of LNG in the Middle East. Bahrain is expected to join the group this year.

Why are LNG imports falling?
Gas finds in Egypt and the U.A.E. reduced the need for the liquefied fuel, and Jordan increased cheaper pipeline imports. “Domestic gas resources have been the main reason for LNG imports being subdued,” said Fauziah Marzuki, a senior associate at BNEF. Locally produced “gas will always be preferred over imports, within certain cost parameters of course.”

Which countries are leading the decline?
Egypt, the region’s biggest LNG importer in 2016 and 2017, will halt purchases this year and may resume exports thanks to surging domestic supplies from the giant Zohr field. Jordan will rely more on pipeline imports from Egypt, trimming its need for LNG. Bahrain, the only country that will add import capabilities in 2019, isn’t expected to reach meaningful volumes until 2022, according to BNEF forecasts.

Fizzling Gas
Liquefied natural gas imports in the Middle East had a record drop in 2018

What does this mean for Qatari exports?
Qatar, the world’s biggest LNG exporter, has boosted its position in the Middle East’s shrinking market since 2016. The exit of Egypt from the scene will likely erode that status. Almost half of Egypt’s imports came from Qatar last year. Still, the region isn’t a major market for Qatar and growth in Asia will more than offset declines in the Middle East.

How will this impact global markets?
Imports of LNG in the Middle East are dwarfed by Asia. Supply of the fuel -- driven by the U.S., Qatar and Australia -- is expected to rise almost 18 percent by 2030, and demand will grow more than double that rate. Even Kuwait, the region’s biggest importer, barely registers in global terms. Its imports are even less than the smaller markets in Asia such as Thailand, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

LNG Minnow
Middle Eastern countries to comprise just 3 percent of global demand in 2019
Riaz Haq said…
#China Bids Lowest #LNG Price to #Pakistan Amid Massive #Gas Glut In #Asia. PetroChina International Singapore Quotes 8.594% of Brent oil contract for a delivery on February 16-17, 2020. #energy | OilPrice.com https://oilprice.com/Energy/Gas-Prices/China-Dumps-LNG-Amid-Massive-Glut-In-Asia.html?utm_source=tw&utm_medium=tw_repost #oilprice

PetroChina, one of the largest buyers of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in the key LNG demand growth market, has offered the lowest bid in an LNG tender in Pakistan, in a sign that the Asian market continues to be oversupplied even after the winter heating season began.

According to the documents from the latest Pakistan LNG tender, PetroChina International Singapore offered the lowest bid at a price slope—that is a percentage of the Brent oil contract—of 8.594 percent, for a delivery window on February 16-17. PetroChina beat commodity traders Gunvor and Trafigura and the trading arm of SOCAR to the lowest bid in the Pakistani tender.

It’s not certain if Pakistan will award this tender, because it sometimes chooses not to buy. But the fact that China is offering LNG so cheaply points to the persistent LNG glut on the Asian markets.

According to Bloomberg, this was at least the second time in which PetroChina has offered the lowest bid in an LNG tender in Pakistan.

This year, Asian spot LNG prices are at their lowest ever for this time of the season.

Last week was the first week since October in which spot LNG prices in Asia increased week on week. Asian LNG spot prices for delivery in January rose to US $5.65 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) last week, up by 15 cents from the previous week, trading sources told Reuters.

Still, prices were at their lowest for this time of the year, because of ample LNG supply and tepid demand growth with milder weather earlier in the heating season.

While the lower LNG prices create some demand in India, for example, overall demand in Asia this winter is certainly not growing at the record-breaking pace of the past three years. The reason—supply is more than enough, as new volumes continue to come out of the U.S., Australia, and to an extent, Russia.

Last month, a Singaporean buyer of a U.S. cargo of LNG canceled the loading, as both Asia and Europe are facing an LNG glut. Some other customers of U.S. LNG cargoes are also reportedly considering paying for those cargoes but not loading them, traders have told Reuters.

By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com
Riaz Haq said…
#Pakistan considers canceling #LNG contracts with ENI & Gunvor. Both contracts are priced at 11.62% of Brent -- or about $7.42 per million Btu, more than double the current spot price. https://www.worldoil.com/news/2020/2/26/pakistan-lng-considers-canceling-contracts-with-eni-gunvor

SINGAPORE (Bloomberg) --Pakistan’s main buyer of liquefied natural gas is considering canceling two long-term contracts as a slump in spot prices and abundant production create opportunities for cheaper supply, according to people familiar with the situation.

State-owned Pakistan LNG Ltd. is weighing the possibility of exercising termination clauses in contracts it signed with Eni SpA and Gunvor Group Ltd. in 2017, according to the people, who asked not to be identified because the matter is private. No final decision has been made and the company is seeking input from the Ministry of Energy, said the people. Canceling both deals may cost the Pakistani firm nearly $300 million in penalties, according to Bloomberg calculations.

Pakistan LNG directed questions to the energy ministry, which didn’t respond to requests for comment. Gunvor declined to comment, while Eni didn’t respond to requests for comment.

A glut of new LNG supply and sputtering demand growth have sent spot prices to record lows, straining more expensive long-term supply deals based on oil prices. The global oversupply may persist over the next few years, analysts including Morgan Stanley forecast, stoking speculation that buyers will be pressuring sellers for revisions to term contracts.

Pakistan isn’t alone in seeking better deals. Japan’s Osaka Gas entered into arbitration last year with the marketing unit of Exxon Mobil Corp.’s PNG LNG project after a dispute during a price review. Indian gas importers have started discussions with Qatar on moving away from linking LNG prices to oil and are seeking cheaper rates. In 2015, Petronet LNG reworked the pricing formula in its 25-year contract with Qatar’s RasGas that resulted in lower prices.

Pakistan LNG is still open to sourcing supplies through new or revised contracts if the pricing terms are more favorable, according to one of the people. The South Asian nation is seen as one of the biggest growth markets for the fuel, with BloombergNEF forecasting imports could grow 80% from last year’s level to 2023.

Under the terms of the contracts, which are posted on Pakistan LNG’s website, the company must give a 90-day termination notice and pay damages equal to the value of six cargoes, which is based on average Brent prices for the three months preceding the month the notice is served. That would be about $142.5 million for the Gunvor deal and $148.8 million for Eni, according to Bloomberg calculations based on front-month Brent futures traded on ICE Futures Europe.

The two deals are linked to oil at a rate that prices cargoes more than double what’s currently available through the spot market. The Gunvor contract, which runs for five years to June 2022, is priced at 11.62% of Brent -- or about $7.42 per million Btu according to Bloomberg calculations using the average of November to January.

The Eni contract, which runs for 15 years to 2032, is priced at 11.6247% for the first two years, 11.95% for the following two years, then 12.14% for the remaining 11 years, according to one of the people. Both deals are for one cargo per month.

The Japan/Korea Marker, the spot Asian LNG benchmark published by S&P Global Platts, has dropped more than 50% in the past year and reached a record low this month of $2.71 per million British thermal units. Front-month futures traded at $2.90 per per million Btu on Tuesday in New York. A spot cargo to neighboring India was purchased recently for as low as $2.40 per million Btu.
Riaz Haq said…
#Pakistan signs 10-year #LNG contract with #Qatar at 10.2% of the Brent, which would be effective from January 2022. Current contract, priced at 13.37% of the Brent, is 30% higher. Pak expects to save $3 billion over 10 years. https://profit.pakistantoday.com.pk/2021/02/26/pakistan-to-save-around-3bn-under-new-lng-deal-with-qatar-sapm/

Special Assistant to Prime Minister (SAPM) on Petroleum Nadeem Babar said on Friday that Pakistan would save an amount of around $3 billion in the import of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) under a 10-year agreement signed with Qatar at 10.2pc of the Brent, which would be effective from January 2022.

“Today we have signed a very important agreement with Qatar. Our earlier agreement [signed by the PML-N government] with Qatar was of 13.37pc of the Brent, under which an average five cargoes arrive every month. But, we [the PTI government] gave inked the deal at 10.2pc of the Brent,” he said while sharing with media details of the agreement, which was signed in the presence of Prime Minister Imran Khan at the PM House.

This contract, he said, was “almost 31pc lower” as compared to the previous agreement signed by the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government.

“It is a 10-year agreement and the price can be renegotiated after a period of four years,” he informed, adding that the existing agreement was of 15 years, under which the price was fixed for a period of 10 years.
Riaz Haq said…
Qatar Petroleum (QP) has signed a deal to supply up to 3 million tonnes per year of LNG to Pakistan.

https://www.energyvoice.com/oilandgas/asia/lng/303016/qatar-pakistan-lng-markets/


The deal will run for 10 years, QP said, starting in 2022 and running to the end of 2031. The company signed the agreement with Pakistan State Oil Company (PSO).

The companies signed the sale and purchase agreement (SPA) in Islamabad. QP president and CEO Saad Sherida Al-Kaabi and PSO managing director and CEO Syed Taha struck the deal. Also attending the ceremony was Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan and Qatari ambassador to Pakistan Sheikh Saoud bin Abdulrahman Al Thani.

Al-Kaabi welcomed the deal, saying QP would “continue our contributions towards meeting Pakistan’s increasing energy demand”, describing the market as strategically important.

“This agreement further extends Qatar’s long standing LNG supply relationship with Pakistan and highlights our commitment to meeting Pakistan’s LNG requirements. We are confident that the exceptional reliability of our LNG supplies will provide PSO with the required flexibility and supply security to fuel Pakistan’s impressive growth.”

Pakistan has the potential to be “one of the world’s fastest growing LNG markets”, Al-Kaabi said. The country has two import terminals, both using floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs).

Rising demand
The country’s special assistant on petroleum Nadeem Babar said Pakistan would engage with Qatar further on petrochemical supplies.

The official said the new contract had been reached at lower prices and would save Pakistan $3 billion over 10 years, according to Dispatch News Desk.

Qatargas signed a 3.75mn tpy deal with PSO in 2016. This was to start that year and run for 15 years.

Pakistan began importing LNG in 2015. Demand tends to peak in summer months as temperatures increase.

The International Islamic Trade Finance Corp. (ITFC) agreed to provide $1.1 billion in financing to Pakistani this week. The cash will go to helping cover imports of “essential commodities such as crude oil, refined petroleum products, LNG and urea”, it said.

LNG spot prices fell in 2020 amid lower demand. They then spiked in January this year as a combination of factors triggered a supply crunch. This price spike – reaching close to $40 per mmBtu – helps make the case for longer-term contracts.

QP also recently signed a deal with Vitol to supply 1.25mn tpy of LNG to Bangladesh.
Riaz Haq said…
#LNG prices surge as energy transition-driven demand outstrips supply. It’s especially bad news for poorer nations like #Pakistan and #Bangladesh that reworked entire #energy policies on the premise that the fuel’s price would be lower for longer. http://www.worldoil.com/news/2021/8/6/natural-gas-prices-surge-as-energy-transition-driven-demand-outstrips-supply#.YRKTjvN_5Mk.twitter

The era of cheap natural gas is over, giving way to an age of far more costly energy that will create ripple effects across the global economy.

Natural gas, used to generate electricity and heat homes, was abundant and cheap during much of the last decade amid a boom in supply from the U.S. to Australia. That came crashing to a halt this year as demand drastically outpaced new supply. European gas rates reached a record this week, while deliveries of the liquefied fuel to Asia are near an all-time high for this time of year.

With few other options, the world is expected to depend more on cleaner-burning gas as a replacement to coal to help achieve near-term green goals. But as producers curb investments into new supply amid calls from climate-conscious investors and governments, it is becoming apparent that expensive energy is here to stay.


Already, there are signs around the world that supplies will fall short:

Beyond a massive expansion in Qatar, few new LNG export projects have been cleared since the start of 2020.
End-users have been less willing to take equity stakes in upstream projects or sign long-term supply deals due to uncertainty surrounding government-led efforts to reduce emissions.
U.S. shale drillers aren’t immediately responding with additional production, as they’re under pressure from investors to curb spending and avoid creating another glut, while key pipeline projects struggle to move forward.
“No matter how you look at it, gas will be the transition fuel for decades to come as major economies are committed to reach carbon emission targets,” said Chris Weafer, chief executive officer of Moscow-based Macro-Advisory Ltd. “The price of gas is more likely to stay elevated over the medium-term and to rise over the longer-term.”

Strong Consumption

By 2024, demand is forecast to jump 7% from pre-Covid-19 levels, according to the International Energy Agency. Looking further out, the appetite for liquefied natural gas is expected to grow by 3.4% a year through 2035, outpacing other fossil fuels, according to an analysis by McKinsey & Co.

Surging natural gas prices means it will be costlier to power factories or produce petrochemicals, rattling every corner of the global economy and fueling inflation fears. For consumers, it will bring higher monthly energy and gas utility bills. It will cost more to power a washing machine, take a hot shower and cook dinner.

It’s especially bad news for poorer nations like Pakistan and Bangladesh that reworked entire energy policies on the premise that the fuel’s price would be lower for longer.

European natural gas rates have surged more than 1,000% from a record low in May 2020 due to the pandemic, while Asian LNG rates have jumped about six-fold in the last year. Even prices in the U.S., where the shale revolution has significantly boosted production of the fuel, have rallied to the highest level for this time of year in a decade.

While there are several one-off factors that have pushed gas prices higher, such as supply disruptions, the global economic rebound and a lull in new LNG export plants, there is a growing consensus that the world is facing a structural shift, driven by the energy transition.

A decade ago, the IEA declared that the world may be entering a “golden age” of natural gas demand growth due to historic expansion of low-cost supply. Indeed, between 2009 and 2020, global gas consumption surged by 30% as utilities and industries took advantage of booming output.
Riaz Haq said…
10,707 km pipelines being laid to reinforce gas transmission network in Pakistan

https://pakobserver.net/10707-km-pipelines-being-laid-to-reinforce-gas-transmission-network/

The two state-owned companies, SNGPL and SSGC, are in process of laying almost 10,707-kilometer pipelines to reinforce gas transmission networks in their operational areas across the country during the current fiscal year.


The Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) would place 9,605 kilometers and Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) 1,102 transmission and distribution pipelines in their respective areas during 2022-23 aimed at improving the efficiency of the commodity supply to domestic, industrial, and commercial consumers.

The companies would collectively spend funds amounting to Rs 113.899 billion on the upgradation of the gas transmission and distribution system. “The SNGP and SSGC have planned to invest Rs 27,669 million on transmission projects, Rs 77,484 million on distribution projects, and Rs 8,746 million on other projects bringing the total investment of Rs 113,899 million during the fiscal year 2022-23,” according to an official document available with APP.


The available statistics indicated that Pakistan has an extensive gas network with more than 13,513 KM transmission, 155,679 KM distribution, and 41,231 KM service gas pipelines for cater to the requirement of millions of consumers.

The companies are also executing at least three strategic projects to supply gas to two Special Economic Zones (SEZs) and an industrial park in their respective areas to boost industrial production.—APP
Riaz Haq said…
State-owned Pakistan LNG (PLL) has announced its intention to secure nine LNG cargoes during the months of October, December, January 2024, and February 2024.

https://www.naturalgasworld.com/pakistan-floats-two-tenders-for-spot-lng-cargoes-105642


---------------

The federal government issued two tenders seeking spot liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes for the first time in nearly a year on Tuesday, while also announcing a deal that will see Azerbaijan provide the country with one LNG cargo per month.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1759531

Dependent on gas for power generation and running short of foreign exchange to pay for imports, the country has struggled to procure spot cargoes of LNG after global prices spiked last year following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, leaving it to face widespread power outages.

But Asian spot LNG prices this year have eased from record highs of $70 per million British thermal units (mmBtu) hit in August, and are now trading below $10.

Pakistan LNG, a government subsidiary that procures LNG from the international market, has one tender seeking six cargoes on a delivered-ex-ship (DES) basis to Port Qasim in Karachi in October and December, according to the tenders posted online.



The delivery windows are October 5-6, 20-21 and 31, and December 7-8, 13-14 and 24-25. The tender will close on June 20.

Pakistan LNG’s second tender seeks three cargoes, also on DES basis to Port Qasim, for delivery windows of January 3-4, 28-29 and February 23-24. The second tender closes on July 14.

Pakistan LNG last issued a tender seeking 10 spot cargoes in July 2022, but received no offers.

Separately on Tuesday, Minister of State for Petroleum Musadik Malik told a news conference that Azerbaijan will supply an LNG cargo every month to Pakistan at a “cheaper price”.

He did not share details on the supply deal, but said that a contract had already been signed with Azerbaijan and that it will “start soon”.

Pakistan has two long-term supply deals with Qatar, one signed in 2016 for 3.75 million metric tons of LNG a year, and another signed in 2021 for 3m metric tons a year.

It also has an annual portfolio contract with ENI for 0.75m metric tons a year.

In 2022, Pakistan’s imports of LNG slowed to 6.93m metric tons for the year, down from 8.23m metric tons in 2021, according to data from data analytics group Kpler.

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