2021 saw a surge of interest in new long-term contracts
LNG short-term liquidity goes into reverse
Spot and short-term LNG trading have fallen sharply as concerns over price volatility and supply security make term contracts more attractive, says importers’ group Giignl
The commoditisation of the LNG business—as enumerated by volumes traded on a spot and short-term basis—went into reverse last year, according to data published by importers’ group Giignl, as buyers fretted over price volatility and supply security. On the flip side, 2021 saw a surge of interest in new long-term contracts, especially on the part of Chinese buyers, which accounted for 26mn t/yr of the 70mn t/yr contracted on a long-term basis. The reversal is striking given that a growing share of spot and short-term procurement has generally been seen as a sign of the increasing sophistication and flexibility of the LNG business. “Due to high prices, some Asian buyers preferred to max out the
Also in this section
7 November 2025
The Russian company’s German assets are under Berlin’s management and are exempt from sanctions, for now, but a permanent solution still needs to be found
6 November 2025
The Russian firm made a significant attempt to expand overseas over the past two decades but is now divesting its global operations
6 November 2025
After years of pursuing ideologically driven climate leadership, Western powers are now stepping back under mounting political pressure and rising populist opposition—prompting concern essential climate action could be sidelined
5 November 2025
Construction of the pipeline in Afghanistan is making tangible progress, but extending it into Pakistan and India remains unrealistic for political reasons
