加拿大因全球气价飙升增加对美天然气出口及钻探活动

　　中国石化新闻网讯 据管道&天然气杂志网10月25日卡尔加里、阿尔伯塔省/纽约路透社联合报道，对相对廉价的加拿大天然气的需求激增，推动加拿大对美国的天然气出口升至三年高点，并促使加拿大生产商增加资本支出和钻探活动。

　　随着世界经济从去年疫情期间的放缓中复苏，全球天然气价格达到多年来的高点。如今，欧洲的天然气库存低得危险，而亚洲的需求一直无法满足，因此世界各地的公用事业公司都在争夺出口液化天然气。

　　加拿大的天然气地处偏远，阿尔伯塔省的AECO中心的价格是北美最便宜的，其生产距离美国主要需求中心和美国墨西哥湾沿岸的液化天然气出口终端很远，距离约2,500英里（约合4,023 公里）。加拿大没有液化天然气出口终端。

　　尽管如此，AECO的价格仍在每百万英热单位5加元(约合4.12美元)左右，远高于2021年迄今的均价3.38加元(2.73美元)，而包括Tourmaline Oil Corp在内的一些加拿大最大的天然气生产商正寻求资本化。

　　卡尔加里资源投资银行Tudor、Pickering、Holt&Co（TPH）分析师马特·墨菲（Matt Murphy）表示，许多生产商正在加速第四季度的资金投入，以增加冬季高价市场的产量。

　　根据追溯到2013年的TPH记录，10月中旬，TC能源公司的NGTL管道系统的供气量达到了127.5亿立方英尺/天的历史新高。NGTL系统是加拿大西部天然气运往市场的主要通道，可以作为该地区产量的指数代表。

　　TPH预计，12月天然气供应量将进一步增长至129亿立方英尺/天，并在2022年创下新高。

　　据数据提供商Refinitiv表示，今年迄今为止，加拿大对美国的日均出口量为83亿立方英尺，为2018年以来同期的最高水平。根据美国能源情报署(U.S. Energy Information Administration)的数据显示，2020年，由于疫情的影响，加拿大的出口降至1993年以来的最低水平。

　　加拿大钻探活动的增加与美国天然气生产商更为谨慎的做法形成鲜明对比，美国天然气生产商在2020年疫情使需求锐减并使该行业陷入困境后仍对资本持谨慎态度。

　　根据能源服务公司贝克休斯公司（Baker Hughes Co.）的数据显示，加拿大天然气钻机数量目前为70台，较去年同期增长75%，而美国天然气钻机数量同期增长约32%，达到98台。

　　根据加拿大最大的天然气生产商电气石公司（Tourmaline）在9月份的一份报告中表示，该公司将在下半年加快钻井速度，并将原定于2022年的资本支出带入今年。

　　Tourmaline称，该公司将监测天然气供需平衡，并在冬季和2022年平衡期间适当安排新的生产项目。

　　该公司预计明年的平均产量为50万-51万桶油当量，高于2021年的44万-44.5万桶油当量。

　　据行业分析师表示，加拿大其他主要天然气生产商也在增加活动，包括加拿大自然资源有限公司（Canadian Natural Resources Ltd.）和ARC资源公司。ARC拒绝置评，CNRL也没有回应置评请求。

　　然而，加拿大缺乏操作钻机的熟练工人可能会限制天然气产量的增长，一些生产商仍对增加供应可能抑制价格持谨慎态度。

　　佩托勘探与开发公司（Peyto Exploration and Development Corp.）首席执行官达伦·吉（Darren Gee）表示，即使我们想做得更多，我们怎么能做得更多呢？我们现有的人手有限。

　　郝芬 译自 管道&天然气杂志网

　　原文如下：

　　Canada Boosts US NatGas Exports, Drills More as Global Prices Surge

　　Demand has jumped for relatively cheap Canadian natural gas, driving exports to the United States to three-year highs and prompting producers in Canada to boost capital spending and drilling activity.

　　Global natural gas prices have hit multi-year highs as world economies recover from last year's slowdown during the pandemic. Now, natural gas stockpiles in Europe are dangerously low and demand in Asia has been insatiable, so utilities around the world are competing for LNG exports.

　　Canada's gas is remote, and prices at the AECO hub in Alberta are among the cheapest in North America, with production far from major U.S. demand centers and LNG export terminals in the U.S. Gulf Coast, some 2,500 miles (4,023 km) away. Canada has no LNG export terminals.

　　Still, at around C$5 ($4.12) per million British thermal units (mmBtu), AECO prices are well above their 2021 year-to-date average of C$3.38 ($2.73), and some of Canada's largest gas producers including Tourmaline Oil Corp are seeking to capitalize.

　　"A number of producers are accelerating capital into Q4 (fourth quarter) to add production volumes into the higher-priced winter market," said Matt Murphy, an analyst at Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co (TPH) in Calgary.

　　Gas receipts into TC Energy's NGTL pipeline system hit an all-time high of 12.75 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) in mid-October, according to TPH records dating from 2013. The NGTL system is the main artery shipping western Canadian gas to market and can be used as a proxy for output from the region.

　　TPH is forecasting further gas receipt growth to 12.9 bcfd in December, with new highs in 2022.

　　Data provider Refinitiv said Canadian exports to the United States averaged 8.3 bcfd year-to-date, the highest over that time period since 2018. In 2020, Canadian exports hit their lowest level since 1993 because of the pandemic, according to U.S. Energy Information Administration data.

　　The increase in drilling activity in Canada contrasts with a more cautious approach among U.S. gas producers, who are still being careful with their capital after the pandemic decimated demand in 2020 and left the industry on its knees.

　　The Canadian gas rig count is currently 70, up 75% from this time last year, while U.S. gas rigs are up about 32% to 98 over the same period, according to energy services firm Baker Hughes Co.

　　Tourmaline, Canada's largest gas producer, is accelerating drilling in the second half and bringing capital spending originally earmarked for 2022 into this year, according to a company presentation in September.

　　"The company will monitor natural gas supply/demand balances and schedule new production startups appropriately through the course of winter and the balance of 2022," Tourmaline said.

　　The company expects to produce on average 500,000-510,000 barrels of oil equivalent next year, up from 440,000-445,000 in 2021.

　　Other major Canadian gas producers increasing activity include Canadian Natural Resources Ltd and ARC Resources, industry analysts said. ARC declined to comment and CNRL did not respond to a request for comment.

　　However, a shortage of skilled crews to operate drilling rigs in Canada could limit how much gas output climbs, and some producers remain cautious that increased supply may rein in prices.

　　"How do we do more even if we wanted to do more? We're at a limit on the people that we have," said Darren Gee, Chief Executive of Peyto Exploration and Development Corp.