據路透社3月30日報道，美國天然氣庫存將在2020年創下歷史最高水平，雖然市場預計需求將大幅下降，但鉆探商仍將繼續生產創紀錄的燃料。

此前，分析人士預測，美國將把大部分剩余天然氣出口到其他國家。但由于需求下降，液化天然氣供應過剩，大量貨物充斥市場。加上天然氣價格下跌，未來數月會有更多的美國液化天然氣貨物訂單被取消。

分析師預計，美國天然氣儲量將在夏季（4月至10月）達到創紀錄的4.078萬億立方英尺，在生產商減產前，需求就已大幅縮減。根據2018年最新的數據顯示，這仍遠低于美國48個州4.268萬億立方英尺的產能。

夏季天然氣市場相對來說不太活躍，而需求下滑意味著價格將進一步下跌。歐洲和亞洲需求的下降，以及美國新投入使用的液化裝置數量的減少，意味著過去幾年美國液化天然氣出口的快速增長速度將會放緩。

此前，全球天然氣價格就已經跌至美國近年來的最低水平，而溫和的天氣降低了北美、歐洲和亞洲的取暖燃料需求，使歐洲的天然氣庫存達到歷史最高水平。

洪偉立 摘譯自 路透社

原文如下：

U.S. natgas storage to hit record as coronavirus cuts demand, LNG exports

U.S. natural gas stockpiles will hit an all-time high in 2020 as drillers keep producing record amounts of fuel even though demand is expected to slump as governments take steps to slow the spread of coronavirus.

Before the outbreak, analysts projected the United States would export much of its surplus gas to other countries. But suppliers of liquefied natural gas (LNG) are flooding the market with excess cargoes due to declining demand, and analysts expect buyers to cancel more U.S. cargoes in coming months as gas prices plunge.

Analysts polled by Reuters project U.S. gas storage will reach a record 4.078 trillion cubic feet (tcf) at the end of the summer (April-October) injection season as the pandemic cuts demand before producers can reduce output. That is still well short of U.S. capacity of 4.268 tcf in the Lower 48 states, according to the most recent federal data in 2018.

However, the slump in demand headed into the seasonally less active summer means prices are set to drop further. The combination of reduced demand out of Europe and Asia, and fewer new U.S. liquefaction units entering service means the rapid pace of U.S. LNG export growth over the past few years will slow.

Even before the coronavirus spread, global gas prices were already trading at their lowest in years as the U.S.-China trade war pressured economic growth while mild weather reduced heating demand in North America, Europe and Asia and filled European gas stockpiles to historic highs.