USA: OpenLink Releases Survey Results from Recent LNG Event

August 7, 2012

OpenLink Financial, a leading provider of cross-asset trading, risk management and operations software solutions, released survey findings from a recent Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) focused event conducted with Platts experts, “LNG End-to-End Support for Integrated IT Solutions,” attended by senior energy professionals.

During the event, industry expert Hong Chou Hui, Platts Managing Editor, confirmed that natural gas is no longer a regional commodity. He said, “Previously extracted in disparate networks, natural gas has evolved into a global commodity. As a result of this increased access and in order to stay competitive, companies are expanding their natural gas value chain horizons.”

Surveyed participants revealed their top solution requirements in an integrated, end-to-end LNG platform:

Maximizing contract optionality with supply and demand considerations – 44%
Optimizing my portfolio for trading – 38%
Integrating shipping of LNG into a mature ETRM structure -18%

The survey results were of little surprise to the panel, as LNG contracts are shifting to more of a generally short-term nature. Short-term contracts allow for increased flexibility associated with potential optimization opportunities. While long-term contracts will continue to dominate due to extraordinary costs associated with building the infrastructure to support the LNG market, the strict language such as “take” or “pay” is disappearing from the contract structure. Whether short-term or long-term, the contract options must be maximized with a robust platform that can illustrate optionality for trading transparency and optimization.

Wendi Orlando, OpenLink Director of Product Management for the Americas, said, “Clearly, companies would benefit from an integrated system in that they could dissect the complexities of their LNG positions. This transparency would provide insight into the trading exposure inherent in these transactions resulting in the identification of profit opportunities and contract optimization.”

[mappress]
LNG World News Staff, August 07, 2012