尽管需求强劲 美国液化天然气产量仍然下降

10月份，美国墨西哥湾沿岸液化厂的天然气流量有所下降，主要是由于维护保养和电力中断

美国液化天然气出口不日可能开始上升，因为一些交易商预计Cove Point液化天然气设施将很快恢复服务

今年冬天全球对液化天然气的需求将保持强劲，当美国自由港液化天然气终端恢复服务时，美国的液化天然气出口可能会再次飙升

据油价网10月21日报道，自10月初以来，美国墨西哥湾沿岸液化厂的天然气流量一直在下降，反映出维护保养和电力中断导致的液化天然气（LNG）产量下降。

目前Cove Point LNG设施正在进行定期维护保养，而自由港LNG设施在6月发生爆炸后迄今仍然关闭。

Cove Point LNG设施有望很快恢复正常运营，自由港LNG设施也正准备恢复正常运营，这种情况可能会很快发生变化，尽管它们首先需要获得重启的全面批准。 

全球第4大财经网站Investing.com援引全球金融市场数据和基础设施提供商Refnitiv公布的数据显示，日前从美国油气田到南方液化生产线的天然气日均流量为111亿立方英尺。这一数字低于9月份的115亿立方英尺，更低于3月份预定的创纪录的129亿立方英尺，3月份欧洲对美国LNG的需求激增。 

欧洲这种需求迄今仍然强劲，从而使得两地价差大到足以刺激美国持续创纪录的出口。然而，LNG生产商正接近产能极限，对其产品的需求不太可能在短时间内消退。

事实上，媒体近日报道称，LNG运输船堵塞了西班牙的进口终端，因为在这个拥有最大LNG进口能力的欧盟成员国，等待卸货的船舶数量超过了卸货点。  

然而，由于国际市场对美国LNG需求的上升，美国国内天然气价格也在上涨，这引发了人们对美国那些需要供暖的地区在这个供暖季的能源负担能力的担忧。 

美国联邦能源管理委员会（FERC）日前表示，预计今年冬天的天然气价格将高于近几年来的平均水平，这一切都是因为LNG出口增加。

FERC表示：“预测预计，包括LNG出口设施在内的净出口的持续增长，将在今年冬季给天然气价格带来额外压力。”

路透社援引FERC的话说，即使美国国内天然气产量持续增长，即使其增速超过需求增速，情况（天然气价格上涨）也将如此。  

FERC预测今年亨利中心天然气的平均价格为6.82美元/百万英热单位，这将比去年的平均价格高出30%。

李峻 编译自 油价网

原文如下：

U.S. LNG Production Declines Despite Robust Demand

·     The flow of natural gas to liquefaction plants along the Gulf Coast has declined in October, largely due to maintenance and outages.

·     S. LNG exports could start to rise this week as some traders expect Cove Point to return to service soon.

·     Demand for LNG is set to remain robust this winter, and U.S. exports are likely to soar again when Freeport LNG returns to service.

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Natural gas flows to liquefaction plants along the Gulf Coast have been on the decline since the start of October, reflecting a decline in LNG production prompted by maintenance and outages.

The Cove Point LNG facility is undergoing regular maintenance and Freeport LNG remains shut after an explosion in June.

This will likely change as Cove Point is expected to return to regular operation soon and Freeport is preparing to resume normal operation as well, although it first needs to secure full approval for the restart.

The average daily volume of gas flows from U.S. fields to the liquefaction trains in the South stood at 11.1 billion cubic feet, Refnitiv data cited by Investing.com showed.

That’s down from 11.5 billion cubic feet for September and further down from the record 12.9 billion cubic feet daily booked in March as demand for U.S. LNG from Europe surged.

This demand is still robust, keeping the price difference big enough to motivate consistently record-high exports. Yet LNG producers are nearing their capacity limits and demand for their product is unlikely to subside any time soon.

Indeed, this week media reported that LNG carriers are clogging Spain’s import terminals because there are more ships than offload points in the EU member with the largest LNG import capacity.

As demand for U.S. LNG from international markets rises, however, so do domestic gas prices, sparking concern about the affordability of energy this heating season in those parts of the U.S. that need heating.