Natural gas prices are SURGING around the world today 🚀📈
🇪🇺 Dutch TTF jumped as much as 12% to above 85 euros/MWh, a record high, after a drop in Russian supply
🇺🇸 US Henry Hub just topped $6/mmbtu for the first time since 2014
🇯🇵 JKM is above $30/mmbtu, a seasonal high
US natural gas prices have surged by more than 10% to as high as $6.280/mmbtu
A close at that level would be the highest settlement since Dec. 2018
US shale natural gas is in no position to bail out Europe. Indeed, supplies are so tight that Americans are staring down their own supply squeeze — and the accompanying sky-high utility bills
China has traditionally purchased nearly all of its coal supplies from producers within Asia, but that changed last year when it stopped buying from Australia amid a political dispute between the once-close trading partners, leading to sporadic shortages
While China mines half of the world’s coal, its supply hasn’t been able to keep up with its breakneck demand
Thermal power generation in the year through August is 14% higher than last year, while coal production is up only 4.4%. So they need more imports to fill the gap
European natural gas prices are again surging toward a record high 📈🚀
That's due in part to:
> Carbon futures hitting an all-time high as utilities turn to coal
> Seasonally low stockpiles, limited supply from Russia/Norway
> Robust Chinese LNG demand
> Uncertain wind output
EU benchmark carbon futures surged above 65 euros/ton for the first time ever as utilities seek coal supplies amid the global gas shortage
European coal futures for next-year delivery also surged to the highest since 2008 amid growing demand from the continent's utilities
This winter, the world will be fighting over a finite supply of natural gas 🥊
The energy crisis in Europe presages trouble for the rest of the planet as the continent’s gas shortage has governments warning of blackouts and factories being forced to shut
🇰🇷 While South Korea is largely protected by long-term LNG contracts that are indexed to oil, Korea Electric Power Co. said on Sept. 23 that it will increase electricity prices for the first time in almost eight years
With about a month to go before the start of the heating season, Europe doesn’t have enough natural gas in storage and isn’t building inventories fast enough either. Gas and power prices are hitting new records
LNG shipments tagged “carbon neutral” are gaining popularity in Asia, despite criticism that the offsets used don’t actually cancel out emissions from the fuel 🏭
Japan, which is looking for ways to cut emissions, continues to be the main destination 🇯🇵
In the past month, BP and Petronas delivered so-called green cargoes to customers in N. Asia
However, carbon credits purchased for the shipments didn’t cover emissions from combustion of the natural gas, which produces roughly 70% of total emissions
Critics, including those from within the industry, have called for more transparency when it comes to offsetting emissions from fossil fuels with carbon credits