LNG
Overview
LNG's role as a key feedstock is well established as it helps manage both input costs and carbon emissions. Heavy industrial users' drive to achieve net zero targets has added a new dimension to how and where it is being deployed. Overall, its use is expected to increase and is tipped to become the strongest-growing fossil fuel.
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Latest LNG news
Browse the latest market moving news on the global LNG industry.
Trump brings momentum and uncertainty to US LNG
Trump brings momentum and uncertainty to US LNG
The current administration has been quick to roll out export licences, but the steel tariffs might throw a wrench in its plans, writes Tray Swanson London, 11 June (Argus) — US president Donald Trump's administration has swiftly shored up the country's LNG industry, most prominently by doling out export licences to proposed terminals. But while cutting regulatory hurdles signals policy stability and helps projects on the cusp of final investment decisions (FIDs) gain momentum in commercial negotiations, Trump's unwavering commitment to steel tariffs adds a layer of uncertainty for developers looking to spend billions on new projects. Political backing from the new administration and regulatory streamlining helped bring momentum to commercial talks. Since January, US LNG producers have signed or finalised offtake agreements totalling 10.7mn t/yr, including non-binding deals.Five LNG projects received a non-free trade agreement (FTA) permit or permit extension since January, which could make their projects more appealing in commercial talks with banks and potential offtakers. Four of them expect to reach FIDs this year. In February, Trump's Department of Energy (DOE) swiftly ended the Biden administration's year-long pause on issuing licences to export to non-FTA countries. Although the first two new licences were conditional, the DOE issued a final order for Sempra's 13.5mn t/yr Port Arthur phase 2 project on 29 May, shortly after the DOE concluded its 2024 LNG export study that was commissioned by the Biden administration to assess the impact of increased LNG exports on "the public interest". Trump's DOE found that higher exports indeed are in the public interest and hailed "a return to regular order on LNG exports". Alongside Port Arthur, Kimmeridge's 9.5mn t/yr Commonwealth LNG, Delfin's 13.2mn t/yr floating LNG terminal and Venture Global's 28mn t/yr CP2 plant have also received export approvals or extensions and are anticipated to reach FID later this year. Several other legislative measures being discussed in the Republican-dominated Congress seek to eliminate regulatory delays to LNG projects. The so-called "big, beautiful bill" includes an add-on that would automatically grant non-FTA export licences to developers that pay a $1mn fee, considering the payment to be in the public interest. One bill proposed in the Senate seeks to prevent federal courts from vacating permits that are already issued to LNG facilities, a measure that would safeguard projects from the judicial setbacks that NextDecade's Rio Grande LNG and Glenfarne's Texas LNG faced last year. And the House Energy Subcommittee on Energy will soon discuss the 1948 bill, which would eliminate altogether the requirement for DOE authorisation to export LNG, placing sole authority over LNG approvals with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Steely determination But not all of Trump's policies have found a receptive audience in the LNG sector. His insistence on levying tariffs on steel and aluminium, key building materials for LNG projects, might force companies to adjust their spending plans. Unlike the reciprocal tariffs placed, revoked and still threatened on most countries, Trump has not dithered on the metals tariffs since enacting them in March. Instead, he doubled steel and aluminum duties to 50pc on 4 June — a move that, barring an exemption for industry, threatens to inflate project costs. The US Trade Representative has partly back-tracked on its proposal to require 1pc of US LNG exports be loaded on US-flagged, built and operated ships from 2028 — by shifting the duty to comply from plant operators, which under the original plan faced the threat of having their export licences revoked, to shippers. This came after the industry had criticised the measure for being hard to reconcile with the prevailing fob nature of US LNG contracts. Yet it remains difficult to envisage how even the amended proposal could work in practice. Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
China’s CNOOC completes largest LNG bunkering operation
China’s CNOOC completes largest LNG bunkering operation
Singapore, 11 June (Argus) — The world's largest LNG bunkering vessel (LNGBV) Hai Yang Shi You 301 , owned by Chinese state-owned CNOOC, has completed its largest LNG bunkering operation to date in Hong Kong, CNOOC announced on 10 June. The LNGBV refuelled German container ship Hanoi Express with 4,300t of LNG at the Kwai Tsing container terminal in Hong Kong. The operation was completed in just 8.5 hours, CNOOC said, which is a new record for refuelling efficiency in Hong Kong. Faster refuelling operations can help to shorten port turnaround time and save operating costs, the firm added. This marks the first LNG bunkering operation done by Hong Kong at a terminal. It was also the first time that simultaneous operations (Simops) was carried out at a terminal. Simops involve an LNG bunkering operation that is completed alongside another operation, such as unloading or loading procedures. The completion of the LNG bunkering operation is a significant step towards improving Hong Kong's marine fuel supply capabilities and enhancing its status as a maritime centre. Hong Kong is the world's seventh largest bunkering centre and serves over 5,000 international ships yearly. The vessel Hai Yang Shi You 301 is China's first LNGBV and mainly provides LNG bunkering operations to international ships. It has an LNG capacity of 30,000m³ and is able to refuel up to 1,650m³ of LNG every hour. CNOOC aims to leverage its comprehensive LNG supply chain and its position as China's largest LNG importer to accelerate the construction of a clean fuel supply chain in Hong Kong. By Joey Chan Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
US proposes changes to US-built LNG carrier rules
US proposes changes to US-built LNG carrier rules
London, 9 June (Argus) — The US Trade Representative (USTR) has proposed removing the threat of revoking LNG terminal export licences under new rules governing LNG exports. The proposed rules set out in April stipulate that a certain percentage of US LNG exports should be shipped on US LNG carriers, rising from 1pc in 2028 to 15pc in 2047. But the US does not presently have the infrastructure to build LNG carriers, casting doubt over the proposals. Under the April proposal, compliance with the rules was to be enforced by the threat of a potential revocation of LNG terminal export licences, meaning that LNG terminal operators had the responsibility of ensuring compliance, instead of shippers. The USTR has now proposed shifting the responsibility for meeting the targets to the shipper, with the recent amendments stating that shippers now have to report the amount of LNG exports shipped on US LNG carriers, and the amount exported on non-US built carriers. This would be more aligned with rules on port fee proposals for other types of vessel , where port fees are paid by the shipper, not the terminal operator. But the USTR is yet to state how it would ensure that a certain amount of US LNG is exported on US LNG carriers, as it has not stated a port fee or tariff system as it has done for other vessel classes. And it is unclear if each shipper has to individually hit the targets each year. Many offtakers load only a single digit number of cargoes each year, so to meet 1pc of LNG exported by US LNG carriers, they may still be required to load one US LNG carrier each year, thereby overcomplying with the regulations, and leading to a total higher percentage of LNG being exported on US LNG carriers. By Martin Senior Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Thailand’s LNG imports fall in April
Thailand’s LNG imports fall in April
Singapore, 9 June (Argus) — Thailand imported 917,000t of LNG in April, down by 34pc from the previous month but up by 24pc on the year, according to GTT data. Australia lost its spot as the top LNG exporter to Thailand in April, with shipments falling by 86pc from the previous month. Brunei took over as largest LNG exporter to Thailand, after not exporting any LNG to the country since June 2024. Qatari and Malaysian exports to Thailand fell by 73pc and 60pc respectively from March. LNG exports from Nigeria, Oman and the US all rose considerably, but this was not enough to prevent the overall drop in volumes. Some new sources of LNG including from Singapore, Equatorial Guinea, Brunei and Papua New Guinea, similarly failed to prevent the drop in LNG import volumes in April. By Rou Urn Lee Thailand's LNG imports 000t Country April 2025 March 2025 LNG Brunei 203.2 0 Malaysia 128.2 323.4 Qatar 90.4 335.9 US 80 55.8 Australia 74.4 535.1 Oman 73 63.6 Nigeria 70.9 64.2 Equatorial Guinea 69.7 0 Papua New Guinea 67.1 0 Singapore 60.1 0 Source: GTT Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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