据世界天然气1月7日消息，据航运咨询公司德鲁里（Drewry）报道，低廉的价格、充足的供应以及能源生产向清洁天然气的大举转移，正在创造对液化天然气的强劲需求，这种需求不仅来自大型买家，也来自小型进口商。

年生产和再气化能力不足50万吨的小型液化天然气项目减少了资本支出，适用于液化天然气消费量低的国家。

Drewry指出，直布罗陀已经建立了一个小型液化天然气进口终端，总储存容量为5000立方米，将直接向港口附近的发电厂提供燃料。

同样，通过将货物固定在长期合同上，为大型液化天然气出口项目争取投资正变得越来越困难。由于液化天然气供应商数量不断增加，进口商选择了短期批量合同。该咨询公司表示，这使得小型液化天然气项目具有吸引力，因为建设成本更低、风险更小。

虽然目前小型液化天然气出口项目的数量有限，但新的设施开始出现。例如，在美国，佛罗里达州的一个小型液化天然气出口项目已经获得FERC批准，该项目有三条产能为33万吨/年的生产线。

陈菲 摘译自 世界天然气

原文如下：

Drewry: small-scale projects bringing LNG market forward

Low prices, abundant supply and an aggressive shift towards cleaner gas for energy generation are creating strong demand for LNG, not just from large buyers, but also from small importers, a report by the shipping consultancy Drewry says.

Small-scale LNG projects with production and regasification capacity of less than 500,000 tons per annum, have reduced capex and are suitable for countries with low LNG consumption.

Gibraltar has set up a small LNG import terminal with a total storage capacity of 5,000 cbm, which will directly provide fuel to the power plant located near the port, Drewry notes.

It is also true that it is becoming increasingly difficult to secure investment for mega LNG export projects by fixing cargoes on long-term contracts. Due to the increasing number of LNG suppliers, importers are opting for shorter-term volume contracts. This makes small-scale LNG projects attractive, which are cheaper to build and where there is less risk, the consultancy said.

Although the number of small LNG export projects is currently limited, new facilities are beginning to emerge. In the United States for example, a small-LNG export project in Florida with three trains of 0.33 MTPA.