据路透社3月19日报道，美国液化天然气(LNG)出口量有望在3月份创下历史新高，原因是不断下滑的运费和低于欧洲和亚洲的价格继续吸引买家。

根据Refinitiv的数据，3月份迄今为止，流向美国LNG出口工厂的天然气平均每天105亿立方英尺(bcfd)。相比之下，2月份的极端寒冷天气切断了设施的电力和天然气供应，创下了85亿立方英尺/天（bcfd）的四个月新低，而12月份则创下了107亿立方英尺/天（bcfd）的月度新高。

数据情报公司Kpler的分析师在一份报告中称:“美国液化天然气价格的反弹受到大西洋盆地运费下降的支撑，运费从两个月前的32.2万美元/天跌至2.1万美元/天。”

欧洲和亚洲的LNG价格仍远高于美国，这使得美国天然气即使考虑到运输，也具有竞争力。

根据Refinitiv的初步数据，美国LNG原料气周五有望达到114亿立方英尺/天，将超过12月中旬创下的113亿立方英尺/天的纪录。

不过，交易商表示，在2022年新装置投入使用之前，美国LNG出口量不可能再增加很多，因为该国目前只有约105亿立方英尺/天的出口能力。LNG工厂能拉来的天然气比出口的多一些。

政府预测显示，美国LNG出口量将从2020年创纪录的65亿立方英尺/天上升到2021年的83亿立方英尺/天，2022年的92亿立方英尺/天。

自2016年Cheniere Energy公司的Sabine Pass在路易斯安那州投入使用以来，随着新设施的建设，美国液化天然气出口每年都创下新高。

政府预计未来几年的增长速度将保持高位，但从2019年的68%到2020年的31%，再到2021年的27%和2022年的11%。

尹路 编译自 路透社

原文如下：

U.S. LNG exports on track to hit record high in March

U.S. liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports are on track to hit record highs in March as tumbling shipping rates and lower prices than in Europe and Asia continue to attract buyers.

The amount of gas flowing to U.S. LNG export plants has averaged 10.5 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) so far in March, according to Refinitiv. That compares with a four-month low of 8.5 bcfd in February, when extreme cold cut power and gas supplies to the facilities, and a monthly record high of 10.7 bcfd in December.

“The rebound in U.S. LNG is supported by falling freight rates in the Atlantic Basin, which dizzyingly fell from $322,000 per day two months (ago) to just $21,000 per day,” analysts at data intelligence firm Kpler said in a report.

LNG prices in Europe and Asia remain much higher than in America, making U.S. gas competitive even when taking shipping into account.

On a daily basis, U.S. LNG feedgas was on track to reach 11.4 bcfd on Friday, which would top the 11.3-bcfd record in mid-December, according to preliminary data from Refinitiv.

However, traders say U.S. LNG exports cannot rise much more until new units enter service in 2022, as the country currently only has the capacity to export about 10.5 bcfd. LNG plants can pull in a little more gas than they can export.

Government projections show U.S. LNG exports rising to 8.3 bcfd in 2021 and 9.2 bcfd in 2022 from a record 6.5 bcfd in 2020.

As new facilities are built, U.S. LNG exports have hit fresh record highs every year since Cheniere Energy Inc’s Sabine Pass in Louisiana entered service in 2016.

The government expects the pace of growth to remain high but slow in coming years from 68% in 2019 to 31% in 2020 to 27% in 2021 and 11% in 2022.