Oz East Coast LNG Exports Dip to One-year Low

LNG exports from Australia’s east coast fell in March to a one year-low, with volumes to China at their lowest level in 11 months, data from the Gladstone Ports Corporation said April 6. The downturn was due to maintenance at one of the LNG export plants nearby. 

Total volumes of LNG shipped from the region’s LNG hub, the Port of Gladstone, fell by 3% on month but increased 1% on year to 1.61mn metric tons, the data showed. It is the smallest monthly volume since March 2017 when 1.59mn mt was exported.

LNG exports from Gladstone come from three complexes: the ConocoPhillips-Origin Energy Australia Pacific LNG (APLNG) terminal, Shell’s Queensland Curtis LNG (QCLNG), and the Santos-led Gladstone LNG project. Together, they exported a total of 897,664 mt to the region’s biggest customer, China, this March, which was down 7% from February but up 31% year on year. It’s the smallest monthly amount shipped to China from Gladstone since April 2017 when 800,032 mt was exported.

APLNG facility underwent 15-days of planned maintenance on one of its two 4.5mn mt/year capacity trains during March, which accounts for the lower exports.

LNG exports from Gladstone to South Korea were 379,236 mt during the month, up 4% on month and down 12% on year; volumes to Japan were 203,454 mt, down 36% on month and 24% on year; Singapore was sent 63,213 mt, up from zero in February and down 68% on year, and exports to Malaysia rose from zero both a month and year earlier to 63,026 mt.