CEDIGAZ’s Monthly LNG Trade Bulletin of March 2015

Asian LNG prices decrease start to show

LNG average import PricesIn January 2015, LNG imports in Japan, South Korea and China grew by 0.8% compared to December 2014. Imports reached 14.7 million tons which is though 3.9% lower than January 2014 levels. January showed the first impacts of decreasing oil prices on LNG prices, as oil-linked contracts usually include a six-month lag. In Japan, the average import price decreased to its lowest point since September 2013 at $15.15/mmbtu in January, while it averaged $16.14/mmbtu in 2014. South Korean price dropped sharply, from $16.07/mmbtu in December (and $16.31/mmbtu on average in 2014) to $14.27/mmbtu in January.