Gladstone LNG Exports 3rd Highest on Record

LNG exports from the Port of Gladstone in Queensland, Australia, registered the third highest monthly volume on record in October, data from the Gladstone Ports Corporation showed November 6.

The port accounts for all of Australia’s east coast LNG exports. The Australia Pacific, Gladstone and Queensland Curtis LNG terminals are all based there.

A total of 1.68mn metric tons of the fuel was shipped from the port during the month, which is up 18% year on year, and level with the 1.68mn metric tons exported in September, the data shows.

The volume still fell below the 1.71mn metric tons shipped in June and the all-time record set in December, of 1.75mn metric tons.

The National Australia Bank said November 2 in its Minerals & Energy Outlook that it expects total Australian LNG export volumes to be “essentially stable” in Q4, after rising in Q3 by 25% year on year and 7% quarter on quarter.

Meanwhile, LNG exports from Gladstone to China were the second highest on record in October, marginally edging back from the all-time high of 1.13mn metric tons set in September to 1.12mn metric tons. The October volume is 70% higher than a year earlier.

Exports from Gladstone to Japan of 207,170 metric tons in October, bounced back from the 17-month low of 60,539 metric tons in September and were up 3% year on year, the GPC data showed.

Singapore received its first cargo from Gladstone in five months, with a total of 64,539 metric tons in October, which was down 68% year on year.

Exports from Gladstone to South Korea stood at 229,782 metric tons during the month, down 23% year on year and 46% month on month. Malaysia was the only other country to be sent LNG from Gladstone with 62,528 metric tons in October, up from zero a year earlier and down 2% month on month, GPC data said. 

Nathan Richardson