美國LNG出口有望六個月來首次增長

據天然氣加工網站8月3日報道 分析師、能源交易商和Refinitiv的數據顯示，8月份美國液化天然氣出口有望6個月來首次實現增長，美國天然氣價格上漲逾15%，達到三個月來新高。

今年迄今為止，全球液化天然氣買家已取消了100多批美國貨物，因為疫情導致需求銳減，歐洲和亞洲的液化天然氣價格跌至歷史新低。

即使在大流行蔓延之前，全球天然氣價格已經處于多年來的最低水平，因為2019年有創(chuàng)紀錄數量的液化天然氣出口終端投入使用，給全球市場注入了大量燃料，與此同時，歐洲和亞洲的冬天比正常情況暖和，迫使公用事業(yè)公司保持創(chuàng)紀錄的天然氣儲存量。

目前，美國和歐洲的庫存預計將在夏季庫存攀升季節(jié)結束時達到歷史最高水平。

Refinitiv的數據顯示，截至目前，8月份流向美國液化天然氣工廠的管道天然氣平均40億立方英尺/天（利用率41%），使液化天然氣出口有望實現自2月份創(chuàng)歷史新高以來的首次月度增長。2019年利用率約為90%。

相比之下，7月份的21個月低點為33億立方英尺/天，當時買家取消了一個月來最多的貨物，2月份達到了87億立方英尺/天的歷史高點。

隨著液化天然氣出口再次上升，預計8月底之前美國大部分地區(qū)都將遭遇高溫天氣，空調需求居高不下，美國路易斯安那州亨利中心基準天然氣價格周一飆升逾15%，達到5月初以來的最高水平。

王磊 摘譯自 天然氣加工

原文如下：

U.S. LNG exports set to rise for the first time in six months

U.S. LNG exports are on track to rise in August for the first month in six, rallying U.S. gas prices by over 15% to a three-month high, according to analysts, energy traders and data from Refinitiv.

So far this year, LNG buyers around the world have canceled more than 100 U.S. cargoes as prices for the fuel collapsed to record lows in Europe and Asia as demand collapsed due to the coronavirus.

Even before the pandemic spread, global gas prices were already trading at their lowest levels in years after a record number of LNG export terminals entered service in 2019, flooding the global market with fuel, at the same time winters in Europe and Asia were warmer than normal, forcing utilities to keep record amounts of gas in storage.

Stockpiles in the United States and Europe are now expected to reach all-time highs at the end of the summer injection season.

The amount of pipeline gas flowing to U.S. LNG plants averaged 4.0 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) (41% utilization) so far in August, according to Refinitiv, putting LNG exports on track for their first monthly gain since hitting a record high in February. Utilization was about 90% in 2019.

That compares with a 21-month low of 3.3 bcfd in July when buyers canceled the most cargoes in a month and the all-time high of 8.7 bcfd in February.

With LNG exports rising again and forecasts for hot weather expected to blanket much of the United States until late August, keeping air conditioning demand high, U.S. gas prices at the Henry Hub benchmark in Louisiana soared over 15% on Monday to their highest since early May.