Renewed optimism in global LNG and the importance of Europe

Murray Douglas, Research Director Europe Gas presented the outlook for Global gas and the growing importance of Europe at the London Gas and LNG forum on 2 October 2018. Demand growth in Asia has absorbed much of the LNG supply growth over the last two years. As cargoes continue to flow to the Pacific basin, piped suppliers to Europe are running at the top of their range. The lack of supply flexibility holds the market tight into winter. Prices soften from summer 2019 but rebounds quickly as Asian demand catches supply once again. The confidence in gas market fundamentals has led to a period of optimism across the gas industry, providing much needed momentum to LNG supply projects. But risks remain – especially by the mid-2020s as Europe's gas import dependency burgeons due to declining indigenous production and coal phase-out policies.