據彭博社6月6日報道，卡塔爾正在提供供應期限更短、更便宜的液化天然氣合同，在與美國競爭日益激烈之際，卡塔爾試圖通過擴建項目確保客戶的供應。

據知情人士透露，上周，世界最大液化天然氣出口國與孟加拉國達成一項協議，協議提供了更寬松的付款期限。

知情人士表示，供應商的目標是能更好滿足客戶需求，尤其是亞洲新興國家需求，這些國家正與高昂的能源成本進行斗爭，或者無法承諾達成長期協議。由于細節保密，他們要求匿名。

與孟加拉國簽署協議的卡塔爾能源公司沒有回應置評請求。孟加拉國電力和能源部沒有立即回應置評請求。

卡塔爾正在建設世界上最大的液化天然氣擴建項目，目標是到2027年將產量提高60%以上，但迄今為止僅僅簽署了一小部分供應的長期協議。它在尋找買家的同時，美國出口商也在提高產量，并與該行業一些最靈活的合約締結方簽訂了一系列協議。

眾所周知，卡塔爾簽訂的供應協議傳統上包含嚴格的條款，比如要求將貨物運送到特定港口的條款，并青睞那些持續數十年的長期合同。這使得日本和歐洲的一些買家不再承諾簽訂更多的協議，因為他們計劃從化石燃料轉向可再生能源，這就凸顯了供應協議僵化冗長的短板。

據知情人士透露，該國目前正在為亞洲一些國家提供期限短于20年的交易。他們補充說，孟加拉國的協議簽署了15年，價格方面與布倫特原油的掛鉤率約為12.6%，每百萬英熱單位提高50美分。

知情人士表示，這低于去年全球能源危機高峰期的價格。

洪偉立 摘譯自 彭博社

原文如下：

Qatar Offers Cheaper LNG to Asian Market

Qatar is offering shorter and cheaper liquefied natural gas contracts as it attempts to secure customers for supply from expansion projects amid rising competition with the US.

A deal agreed last week between the world’s top LNG exporter and Bangladesh included more lenient payment deadlines than typically offered, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

The supplier is aiming to be more accommodating of the needs of customers, particularly emerging nations in Asia, that struggle with high energy costs or are unable to commit to long-term agreements, said the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity as the details are private.

QatarEnergy, which signed the deal with Bangladesh, didn’t respond to a request for comment. Bangladesh’s power and energy ministry didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.

The nation is building the world’s biggest LNG expansion project, which aims to boost output by more than 60% through 2027, but has so far only signed long-term deals for a fraction of that supply. It’s seeking buyers at the same time that US exporters have also been lifting production and cementing a flurry of pacts with some of the industry’s most flexible contracts.

Qatar is traditionally known to include strict terms in supply deals, such as clauses that require delivery to specific ports, and favors contracts that last for decades. That’s deterred some buyers in Japan and Europe from committing to additional deals, as they plan for a shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources that could make rigid, lengthy supply agreements problematic.

The nation is now offering some nations in Asia deals with shorter durations than 20 years, according to the people. Bangladesh’s deal was signed for 15 years at roughly a 12.6% link to Brent crude oil plus 50 US cents per million British thermal units, they added.

That’s below prices offered last year during the peak of the global energy crisis, the people said.