Overseas Coal Could Surge

Armstrong: Pause May Fuel Overseas Coal Consumption (PGJ Online)
(Feb. 14): Williams CEO Alan Armstrong warned that the Biden administration’s pause on USLNG export permits could boost global coal use. Armstrong expressed concern that consumers in growing electricity markets like Southeast Asia, might opt for coal infrastructure over natural gas. Armstrong: “We had a huge opportunity to grab market share that was getting scared away by Russia’s activity, and now we’ve pretty well destroyed what was on the bubble.” In Dec. 2023, LNG exports to Asia reached a record high of 26.49 million metric tons, largely driven by China. Meanwhile, China’s coal production hit a record high of 4.66 billion metric tons in 2023, and its overall power generation, dominated by coal-fired plants, and in Dec. rose 8% year-on-year. Armstrong suggested that countries like Vietnam, which are undecided about whether to build infrastructure for coal or LNG, could be particularly affected by the pause. Link to Content

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