據路透社3月19日報道，美國液化天然氣(LNG)出口量有望在3月份創下歷史新高，原因是不斷下滑的運費和低于歐洲和亞洲的價格繼續吸引買家。

根據Refinitiv的數據，3月份迄今為止，流向美國LNG出口工廠的天然氣平均每天105億立方英尺(bcfd)。相比之下，2月份的極端寒冷天氣切斷了設施的電力和天然氣供應，創下了85億立方英尺/天（bcfd）的四個月新低，而12月份則創下了107億立方英尺/天（bcfd）的月度新高。

數據情報公司Kpler的分析師在一份報告中稱:“美國液化天然氣價格的反彈受到大西洋盆地運費下降的支撐，運費從兩個月前的32.2萬美元/天跌至2.1萬美元/天。”

歐洲和亞洲的LNG價格仍遠高于美國，這使得美國天然氣即使考慮到運輸，也具有競爭力。

根據Refinitiv的初步數據，美國LNG原料氣周五有望達到114億立方英尺/天，將超過12月中旬創下的113億立方英尺/天的紀錄。

不過，交易商表示，在2022年新裝置投入使用之前，美國LNG出口量不可能再增加很多，因為該國目前只有約105億立方英尺/天的出口能力。LNG工廠能拉來的天然氣比出口的多一些。

政府預測顯示，美國LNG出口量將從2020年創紀錄的65億立方英尺/天上升到2021年的83億立方英尺/天，2022年的92億立方英尺/天。

自2016年Cheniere Energy公司的Sabine Pass在路易斯安那州投入使用以來，隨著新設施的建設，美國液化天然氣出口每年都創下新高。

政府預計未來幾年的增長速度將保持高位，但從2019年的68%到2020年的31%，再到2021年的27%和2022年的11%。

尹路 編譯自 路透社

原文如下：

U.S. LNG exports on track to hit record high in March

U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports are on track to hit record highs in March as tumbling shipping rates and lower prices than in Europe and Asia continue to attract buyers.

The amount of gas flowing to U.S. LNG export plants has averaged 10.5 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) so far in March, according to Refinitiv. That compares with a four-month low of 8.5 bcfd in February, when extreme cold cut power and gas supplies to the facilities, and a monthly record high of 10.7 bcfd in December.

“The rebound in U.S. LNG is supported by falling freight rates in the Atlantic Basin, which dizzyingly fell from $322,000 per day two months (ago) to just $21,000 per day,” analysts at data intelligence firm Kpler said in a report.

LNG prices in Europe and Asia remain much higher than in America, making U.S. gas competitive even when taking shipping into account.

On a daily basis, U.S. LNG feedgas was on track to reach 11.4 bcfd on Friday, which would top the 11.3-bcfd record in mid-December, according to preliminary data from Refinitiv.

However, traders say U.S. LNG exports cannot rise much more until new units enter service in 2022, as the country currently only has the capacity to export about 10.5 bcfd. LNG plants can pull in a little more gas than they can export.

Government projections show U.S. LNG exports rising to 8.3 bcfd in 2021 and 9.2 bcfd in 2022 from a record 6.5 bcfd in 2020.

As new facilities are built, U.S. LNG exports have hit fresh record highs every year since Cheniere Energy Inc’s Sabine Pass in Louisiana entered service in 2016.

The government expects the pace of growth to remain high but slow in coming years from 68% in 2019 to 31% in 2020 to 27% in 2021 and 11% in 2022.