亚洲LNG交易商抢购美国页岩气

　　中国石化新闻网讯 据世界石油网站10月26日报道 亚洲液化天然气贸易商正争先恐后地从美国获得运输，尽管美国的液化天然气价格已经达到20年来的最高水平，但美国仍为世界上液化天然气价格最低的国家之一。

　　据了解此事的交易员称，日本等两个最大进口国的公司正在寻求专门从美国采购液化天然气，并正在与出口商和投资组合参与者讨论，以锁定3月份的交货期。这些公司希望液化天然气与亨利枢纽基准价格挂钩。亨利枢纽基准价格是美国的基准，目前的交易价格仅为亚洲和欧洲的一小部分。

　　全球能源紧张导致天然气和煤炭价格从澳大利亚飙升至荷兰。在北半球冬季来临和取暖需求激增之前，公用事业公司正忙于储备燃料。

　　尽管美国天然气价格今年翻了一番多，但仍比海外市场便宜得多，这在很大程度上是因为北美页岩油气田的丰富。

　　根据布隆伯格财经的分析，今冬运往亚洲的美国液化天然气可以带来诱人的利润，约为25-26美元/百万英热单位，这几乎是有史以来最高的，这也与去年夏天形成了鲜明对比，当时美国向亚洲和欧洲的液化天然气运输没有盈利，因为新冠疫情打击了对这种燃料的需求。

　　交易员表示，利润率如此之高，以至于来自美国的一批货物交换次数多达8次，因为各公司都急于转售同一批货物，并从中分得一杯羹。

　　贸易商表示，亚洲液化天然气买家急于从墨西哥湾沿岸码头以装船方式购买美国天然气，然后自己包租船运，这导致大西洋和太平洋地区的租船费率都有所提高，同时也加剧了人们对冬季船运高峰期巴拿马运河拥堵的担忧。

　　王磊 摘译自 世界石油

　　原文如下：

　　Asian LNG traders snap up U.S. shale gas

　　Asian liquefied natural gas traders are rushing to secure shipments from the U.S., where the fuel is among the cheapest in the world despite what’s turning into the steepest price run in two decades.

　　Firms in Japan, these biggest importers, are seeking to procure LNG specifically from the U.S., and are in discussions with exporters and portfolio players to lock in deliveries through March, according to traders with knowledge of the matter. The companies want LNG linked to the Henry Hub index, the U.S. benchmark that’s trading at a fraction of prices in Asia and Europe.

　　A global energy squeeze has sent prices for gas and coal surging from Australia to the Netherlands. Utilities are busy stocking up on fuel before winter descends on the Northern Hemisphere and heating demand soars.

　　While U.S. gas prices have more than doubled this year, they still are much cheaper than overseas markets in large part because of the bounty of North American shale fields.

　　U.S. LNG sent to Asia this winter can turn an attractive profit, with the netback at roughly $25 to $26 per million British thermal units, according to analysis from BloombergNEF. That’s near the highest ever. It is also in stark contrast to last year’s summer, when U.S. LNG shipments to Asia and Europe weren’t profitable as the Covid-19 pandemic dashed demand for the fuel.

　　Margins are so good that a single cargo from the U.S. is exchanging hands as many as eight times, as firms are eager to resell the same shipment and get a slice of the profit, according to traders.

　　The Asian LNG buyers are eager to buy U.S. gas on a loading basis from Gulf Coast terminals, then charter the shipping themselves, according to the traders. That’s resulted in higher charter rates in both the Atlantic and Pacific, and has also stoked fears about Panama Canal congestion when winter shipments peak.