Uniper boosts its LNG trading footprint

The German gas wholesaler has expanded its reach far beyond its traditional European pipeline market

The European gas business of Uniper—spun off from German utility Eon in 2016—is to some degree reminiscent of the old German gas giant Ruhrgas. But the firm’s push into becoming an active portfolio player in the global LNG market could hardly be further removed from the famous conservatism of its forebear. The core business remains gas marketing and gas-fired power plants. But the firm’s LNG strategy serves two important purposes, Uniper’s chief commercial officer Keith Martin tells Petroleum Economist at the Gastech conference in Houston. Firstly, Uniper “wants to be able to source LNG for our customers at the most competitive price”, says Martin. “It is good to have balance in our portfoli