China's imports of liquefied natural gas are on course to book their second consecutive monthly decline because of significantly higher prices driven by the war in the Middle East. September LNG flows to China are seen at 5.3 million tons, according to Kpler data cited by Bloomberg today. This would be 8% lower than LNG imports for September 2025, but slightly higher than August flows, which Kpler estimated last month at 5.2 million tons. China is one of the biggest buyers of liquefied natural gas globally but has curbed purchases as prices on…
LNG Market Background
The global LNG market has undergone a structural transformation in recent years, with U.S. exports reshaping trade flows and providing consuming nations with greater supply optionality. European buyers have accelerated long-term LNG contracting following the disruption of Russian pipeline gas supplies.
New LNG liquefaction capacity — from the U.S. Gulf Coast, Qatar's North Field expansion, and Australian projects — is expected to add significant supply volumes through the late 2020s, with implications for long-term contract pricing and spot market dynamics.
What to Watch
Stakeholders will be tracking spot LNG cargo pricing in Asian and European markets, liquefaction plant utilization rates, and upcoming long-term supply contract negotiations as global LNG trade flows continue to evolve.
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