Singapore has obtained enough liquefied natural gas (LNG) cargoes to substitute for supplies lost from Qatar through the end of 2026, effectively meeting the country’s entire gas requirement for that period, the head of the Singapore Energy Market Authority said Wednesday in Houston.
Puah Kok Keong, Chief Executive of the EMA, said the replacement shipments were sourced from suppliers in Australia, the United States and Africa. He explained that the disrupted Qatari supply is connected to the ongoing U.S.-Israeli war with Iran.
The EMA chief noted that Qatar accounts for roughly 10% of the natural gas Singapore uses for electricity generation, a share that equates to about one cargo each month. With the new procurement in place, Singapore has offset those monthly volumes through arrangements with alternative suppliers.
Keong also outlined a contingency built into Singapore’s procurement plan: if Qatari flows return in the coming months, the country would have the option to resell the replacement shipments it has contracted. This provides flexibility for market participation should the original supplier resume deliveries.
In addition to the shipments covering the current shortfall, Singapore intends to broaden its supplier base further. Keong said the city-state plans to secure additional LNG from a diverse group of producers, listing the United States, Australia, Africa and the Middle East as regions from which it will seek more cargoes to lower supply risk.
Context and operational implications
The EMA statement makes clear that Singapore has taken steps to ensure uninterrupted fuel for power generation by replacing the specific volumes lost from Qatar. The procurement covers the same time horizon specified by the government - through the end of 2026 - and is intended to preserve system reliability for electricity supply.
What remains uncertain
The situation depends on the duration of the disruption to Qatari supplies, which itself is linked to developments in the conflict identified by the EMA chief. If conditions change, Singapore’s contractual flexibility will be relevant to market outcomes, including the potential resale of cargoes.
Statements in this article reflect comments attributed to Puah Kok Keong, Chief Executive of the Singapore Energy Market Authority, as reported.