据油价网5月17日消息称，贸易商和高管告诉彭博社，印度主要的天然气进口商正在与全球液化天然气出口大国讨论长期供应协议，以锁定未来的供应，避免现货价格飙升时的波动和不确定性。

印度计划大幅增加天然气消费量，以提高其在能源结构中的份额。但该国及其液化天然气进口商对现货液化天然气价格飙升尤为敏感，往往在价格飙升时退出现货市场。

去年的情况就是如此。当时，由于欧洲各国竞相提高现货购买报价，液化天然气现货价格高企，许多亚洲买家被挤出市场，欧洲成为液化天然气现货货物的主要目的地。在2022年的大部分时间里，由于创纪录的价格，印度以及孟加拉国和泰国等南亚国家退出了现货市场。

能源经济与金融分析研究所在2月份的一份报告中表示，在印度，2022年液化天然气进口量下降了15.2%，但由于液化天然气价格高企，总进口成本飙升了44.5%。

今年，现货液化天然气价格的暴跌促使对价格敏感的买家印度、巴基斯坦和孟加拉国重返市场寻找货物。

但印度买家似乎不愿意在未来几年在现货市场上冒险。

根据彭博社的消息来源，Petronet LNG、GAIL India和印度石油公司正在与美国、卡塔尔和阿拉伯联合酋长国的液化天然气出口商就20年的供应协议进行谈判。

据报道，印度最大的天然气公司GAIL India甚至在寻求购买美国一个液化天然气出口项目的权益。

Petronet LNG高管告诉彭博社，该公司正在与卡塔尔进行谈判，以确保额外的长期产量，并与其他几家液化天然气供应商进行讨论。

曹海斌 摘译自 油价网

原文如下：

India Looks To Lock In Long-Term LNG Deals

Major Indian natural gas importers are discussing long-term supply deals with the biggest LNG exporting countries to lock in future supply and avoid volatility and uncertainty in case of spot price spikes, traders and executives tell Bloomberg.

India plans to significantly increase its natural gas consumption as it looks to boost its share in the energy mix. But the country and its LNG importers are particularly sensitive to surging spot LNG prices and often retreat from the spot market when prices jump.

Such was the case last year when high spot LNG prices priced out many Asian buyers as Europe bid up for supply and became the primary destination of spot LNG cargoes. For most of 2022, India – alongside other countries in South Asia such as Bangladesh and Thailand – withdrew from the spot market due to the record high prices.

In India, LNG imports fell by 15.2% in 2022, but the total import costs soared by 44.5% due to high LNG prices, the Institute for Energy Economics & Financial Analysis said in a report in February.

This year, the slump in spot LNG prices has encouraged price-sensitive buyers India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh to return to the market looking for cargoes.

But it looks like Indian buyers are not willing to take chances on the spot market for years to come.

According to Bloomberg’s sources, Petronet LNG, GAIL India, and Indian Oil Corporation are holding discussions with LNG exporters from the United States, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for supply deals of 20 years.

GAIL India, the biggest natural gas company in the country, is even reportedly looking to buy an interest in an LNG export project in the United States.

Petronet LNG is in talks with Qatar to secure additional long-term volumes and is also in discussions with several other LNG suppliers, executives at the company told Bloomberg.