Uniper considers switching in bid to secure Europe’s winter supply

Germany’s Uniper is prepared to swap liquefied natural gas (LNG) it gets from Australia’s Woodside for US gas, so it can boost supplies in Europe more quickly during the coming winter, it said.

The strategy reflects efforts by companies and governments across Europe to seek alternative lines of supply and draw up contingency plans for the winter gas season, amid fears that Moscow could fully stop supplies of natural gas.

In case of supply shortages, Uniper could speed up potential supply to European customers by making available a US LNG that was earmarked for Asian customers and could be sitting in the Atlantic.

“Uniper does its utmost to bring in additional, or redirect existing, cargoes to Germany. The volumes from Australia could be swapped against volumes originating in the US and currently in the Atlantic and destined for Asian buyers in China, India and Japan,” a spokesperson for the company said.

“We may make use of that facility in the coming winter, in case the volumes were needed for Europe,” the spokesperson said, declining to give details of timings and volumes.

See more here.