World LPG supply dwindles on increased sales to Japan

[phantom power]

The Energy Ministry is preparing measures to cope with fuel shortages caused by Japan's nuclear power crisis.

Since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami shut down nuclear plants, Japan has been buying other types of fuel, especially liquefied natural gas (LNG), from around the globe to substitute for nuclear energy, prompting concerns in other countries including Thailand about a possible shortage of fuels.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/economics/235056/world-lpg-supply-dwindles-on-increased-sales-to-japan

[FBaggins]

1. Hard to call it an issue of LNG supply

Really it's a shortage of the ability to transport the gas.

Plenty of gas around (a glut in some places), but little capacity to liquify it or ship it.

[phantom power]

2. Yeah, bad headline (imagine that). Supply didn't "decrease", Japan's demand spiked.

[FBaggins]

3. Good point.

The title is thus wrong in two ways.

Something of a shame (economically.. not ecologically). There's a HUGE supply of natural gas right now here in the states. So much so that prices are significantly below the world norms. There's a really large profit to be made by US firms (and lower prices for the folks in Japan who need the stuff)... if only there was a way to get it to them.

Unfortunately, it was only a few years ago that the U.S. assumed we would be importing LNG to meet our demand and assumed that "peak natural gas" had passed in the U.S. years back. So we don't have any way (currently) to get the gas exported.

[Possumpoint]

4. Which Is It?

A shortage of LPG or LNG? It it a shortage of both? Be nice if the newspaper got its story straight.