New potential LNG supplies from North America and Africa will be at the head of the agenda for a Japan-hosted public forum bringing together LNG producers and consumers in Tokyo next month, a source at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry told Platts Friday.
Delegates, at what Japan claims will be the world's first LNG-focused meeting of its kind, will include executives from some 100 national and international oil and gas companies, trading houses, utilities, engineering firms and banks as well as ministers or equivalent officials from some 20 producing and consuming countries, the source said.
During a session on new supply sources, the delegates are expected to hear presentations from senior officials from companies such as Cheniere Energy Partners about its Sabine Pass LNG export project in Louisiana and Anadarko about its potential LNG exports from Mozambique, the source added.
The session is also set to include senior officials from the US Department of Energy, Canada's Natural Resources Ministry, and the Alberta state government to examine prospects for North American LNG exports, the source said, as well as additional supplies from Russia.
Potential new LNG supplies from North America and Africa are drawing the attention of major consuming countries such as Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, which account for about 45% of the global LNG trade, as they aim to diversify supply sources and price links, industry sources said.
Qatari Oil Minister Mohammed al-Sada is set to be a keynote speaker for the LNG Producer-Consumer Conference, which METI intends to make into an annual event, the source said.
Japan, already the world's biggest importer of LNG, has increased its imports of the fuel to record levels in the wake of the March 2011 earthquake and subsequent nuclear outages. Japan imported a record 78.5 million mt/year of LNG last year.
The source added that Japan is set to present a forecast of its internal LNG demand over the period to around 2030 and expects to explain its position on LNG use in the context of its post-earthquake energy policy at the meeting.
The forum is also expected to cover the mid-term to long-term global demand and supply outlook as well as price trends of LNG in Asia and Europe, the source added.
Among the companies expected to participate are Qatargas, Malaysia's Petronas, Indonesia's Pertamina, Russia's Gazprom, Oman LNG, Abu Dhabi's Adgas, Brunei LNG, ExxonMobil, Shell, Chevron, BP, Total, Anadarko, South Korea's Kogas, and Taiwan's CPC, the source said.
