2025-04-14 06:50:00
U.S. LNG FOR ASIA
BLOOMBERG- Apr 9, 2025 - Asian governments from South Korea to Indonesia are rushing to sign up for liquefied natural gas purchases from the US, hoping to reduce trade surpluses with the world’s largest economy and secure some relief from President Donald Trump’s sweeping “reciprocal” tariffs.
Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, promising to “buy more” goods from America, said on Tuesday that would include LNG, while Thailand has also said it is considering snapping up more. Trump himself said that he had discussed “large scale” purchases of US LNG with interim South Korean leader Han Duck-soo.
Japan, South Korea and Taiwan have all said they are considering investments in a long-delayed $44 billion LNG export project in Alaska backed by Trump.
A cascade of global tariffs introduced last week left Asian economies reeling from the worst levies. As governments seek to ease the pain, LNG is a natural option, as one of a handful of US exports that Asian nations can easily commit to ramping up. The US is the world’s biggest supplier of the power plant and heating fuel, with exports already slated to double by the end of the decade.
Asia, meanwhile, is home to the top buyers and demand from emerging nations is slated to grow as economies expand, domestic production stagnates and many begin to shift away from coal. LNG is also usually purchased via long-term contracts that last decades and can be worth billions of dollars — headline numbers large enough to capture the White House’s attention.
“There is talk of a big energy deal in Alaska where the Japanese, and perhaps the Koreans, perhaps the Taiwanese, would take a lot of the offtake and provide financing for the deals,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on CNBC Tuesday. “Not only would that provide a lot of American jobs, but it would narrow the trade deficit.”
India’s LNG importers have been lobbying the government to abolish a 2.5% customs duty on US gas shipments, according to people with knowledge of the matter. Price remains a concern there, though. Gail India Ltd, which has a long-term contract to lift 5.8 million tons a year of US LNG, currently resells most of the volumes overseas under swap deals as it is too expensive to bring home.
The one exception to the buying spree is China, the biggest importer of the super-chilled fuel. Beijing has slapped retaliatory levies on the American fuel and Chinese importers have been reselling contracted US LNG shipments to Europe and elsewhere in Asia.
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Earlier:
2025, April, 9, 06:40:00
U.S. LNG FOR JAPAN, S.KOREA
The US, Japan and South Korea have committed to placing US LNG to bolster energy security and for mutual benefits, the countries said in a joint statement following a foreign ministerial trilateral meeting in Brussels on April 3.
2025, April, 8, 06:35:00
U.S. LNG FOR CHINA DOWN
Beijing slapped a 15% tariff on US LNG shipments from Feb. 10 in retaliation to American levies, which was further exacerbated last week by another set of Chinese levies on all imports from the US.
2025, March, 27, 06:40:00
U.S. LNG EXPORTS UP
“The benefits of expanding U.S. LNG exports have never been more clear, and I am proud to be taking action to support the American people and our allies abroad with more affordable, reliable, secure American energy,”
2025, February, 20, 06:50:00
U.S. ENERGY DOMINANCE
To compete globally, US must expand energy production and reduce energy costs for American families and businesses.
2025, January, 29, 06:45:00
U.S. ENERGY, CLIMATE POLICY
The incoming Trump Administration is not supportive of the UN climate objectives. It has several climate and energy policy revision priorities it intends to pursue rapidly and aggressively.
2025, January, 24, 06:55:00
U.S. WITHOUT CLIMATE
New US President Donald Trump has declared a national energy emergency, announced the country's withdrawal from the Paris Agreement, and named cabinet-level appointees including new heads of the Department of Energy and the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
2025, January, 24, 06:45:00
U.S. ENERGY ALERT
The network operator expects energy use to near a record set almost a decade ago as dangerously low temperatures spread across the Eastern US.
2025, January, 16, 06:55:00
U.S., RUSSIA SANCTIONS
“The Department of State’s designations aim to reduce Russia’s oil and natural gas revenue through sanctions on operators of significant Russian crude oil production and liquified natural gas projects. We are designating the chief executive officer and members of State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom’s (Rosatom),” according to a State Department Fact Sheet.
