RE-EMERGENCE OF THE US LNG MARKET- THE BG LNG SERVICES EXPERIENCE AT LAKE CHARLES REAPPARITION DU MARCHE DE GNL AUX USA- L'EXPERIENCE DE BG LNG SERVICES A LAKE CHARLES

摘要

In May 2001, BG LNG Services (BGLS) secured the rights to the existing and expansion capacity of the Lake Charles LNG import terminal in the US. The terminal presently has a sustainable send out capacity of 630 mmsfcd and peaking send-out capacity of up to 1 bcf per day. Plans for expansion in 2006 will make it one of the single largest import terminals worldwide. Since securing the capacity, BGLS has grown to become the largest importer of spot LNG cargoes into the US gas market at present, importing a total of 49 cargoes during the first half of 2003, from sellers located in 5 export projects worldwide. BGLS is presently working to put long-term LNG supply contracts in place that will mark the re-emergence of the US as a significant LNG importer by the middle of this decade. In this paper BG Group (BG) gives an update on the present plans for the Lake Charles expansion. It gives an overview of BGLS' experience of importing short-term volumes into the US, including the operational and commercial aspects of securing, shipping, importing and selling spot cargoes into the market. The paper also outlines BGLS' long-term plans for utilization of the terminal within BG's growing Atlantic basin LNG portfolio and reviews the critical success factors that BG believes has allowed BGLS to succeed in this emergent and unique LNG market.