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Natural gas has been fuelling industrial and economic growth across developed and developing countries. Its usage is set to increase as it is also being considered as a low-carbon fuel that can help make the transition to a no-to-low-carbon economy. Argus is your irreplaceable source of price information, news, expert analysis and fundamentals data for international natural gas markets.
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Brazil's inflation accelerates to 5.53pc in April
Brazil's inflation accelerates to 5.53pc in April
Sao Paulo, 9 May (Argus) — Brazil's annualized inflation rate rose to 5.53pc in April, accelerating for a third month despite six central bank rate hikes since September aimed at cooling the economy. The country's annualized inflation accelerated from 5.48pc in March and 5.06pc in February, according to government statistics agency IBGE. Food and beverages rose by an annual 7.81pc, up from 7.68pc in March. Ground coffee increased at an annual 80.2pc, accelerating from 77.78pc in the month prior. Still, soybean oil prices decelerated to 22.83pc in April from 24.36pc in March. Domestic power consumption costs rose to 0.71pc from 0.33pc a month earlier. Transportation costs decelerated to 5.49pc from 6.05pc in March. Gasoline prices slowed to a 8.86pc gain from 10.89pc a month earlier. The increase in ethanol and diesel prices decelerated as well to 13.9pc and 6.42pc in April from 20.08pc and 8.13pc in March, respectively. The hike in compressed natural gas prices (CNG) fell to 3.5pc from 3.92pc a month prior. Inflation posted the seventh consecutive monthly increase above the central bank's goal of 3pc, with tolerance of 1.5 percentage point above or below. Brazil's central bank increased its target interest rate for the sixth time in a row to 14.75pc on 7 May. The bank has been trying to counter soaring inflation as it has recently changed the way it tracks its goal. Monthly cooldown But Brazil's monthly inflation decelerated to 0.43pc in April from a 0.56pc gain in March. Food and beverages decelerated on a monthly basis to 0.82pc in April from a 1.17pc increase a month earlier, according to IBGE. Housing costs also decelerated to 0.24pc from 0.14pc in March. Transportation costs contracted by 0.38pc and posted the largest monthly contraction in April. Diesel prices posted the largest contraction at 1.27pc in April. Petrobras made three diesel price readjustments in April-May. By Maria Frazatto Send comments and request more information at [email protected] Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Fluxys offers 2025 bio-LNG capacity at Zeebrugge
Fluxys offers 2025 bio-LNG capacity at Zeebrugge
London, 6 May (Argus) — Belgian terminal operator Fluxys is offering 21.6 GWh/month of bio-LNG capacity at its Zeebrugge LNG terminal for June-December through an auction closing on 20 May. Fluxys is offering all of the capacity as one lot. The reserve price is €2.99/MWh, which is the regulated tariff for long-term bio-LNG capacity. The tariff for short-term capacity for May is presently cheaper at €2.09/MWh. The bio-LNG capacity is only inclusive of the right for the buyer to handle bio-LNG volumes at the terminal, and is not inclusive of other terminal or commodity costs. Fluxys previously sold 21.6 GWh/month on a long-term basis for each of 2023, 2024 and 2025, and earlier this year said long-term capacity was sold out. It is unclear if the buyer of previous volumes has backed out of its term deal, or if Fluxys is offering additional capacity. Bio-LNG interest has stepped up this year following the start of FuelEU maritime regulations, which encourage the use of cleaner marine fuels. By Martin Senior Send comments and request more information at [email protected] Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Trump tariffs may hinder Brazil biomethane
Trump tariffs may hinder Brazil biomethane
Sao Paulo, 5 May (Argus) — Lower Brazilian natural gas and diesel prices in the wake of US tariffs may stifle biomethane's competitiveness. Gas prices in the regulated market have fallen by 13pc since the announcement of US import tariffs on 2 April, which has helped to send global energy commodity prices reeling. Most of Brazil's gas contracts are indexed to North Sea Dated crude and are sensitive to geopolitical volatility. For consumers substituting fuels, this means biomethane would carry a larger premium to natural gas. Biomethane producers say their ideal price to cover investments would be above R3/m³ ($0.53/m³). Natural gas in Brazilian pipelines was priced at R2.455/m³ on 2 April and has since fallen to R2.058/m³ by 2 May.Competing with natural gas was already challenging for biomethane, which had previously benefited from the rising gas prices after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022. Market participants said competing with diesel in the transportation sector could be an easier path for biomethane, because the Brazilian diesel market is a net importer. A number of companies have made the leap and adapted their diesel trucks to take biomethane, but the tariffs have also lowered diesel prices, making biomethane less attractive. In early April before the tariffs, biomethane prices at or below R4.83/m³ would remain competitive with Brazil's average retail diesel price, according to Argus' calculations for calorific power equivalence. On 2 May, that competitive price fell to R4.73/m³. US tariffs also created favorable conditions for diesel imports into Brazil. Foreign diesel prices had been trending lower than state-controlled Petrobras' prices for more than a month prior to the announcement. From 2-8 April, the price indicator for ex-port land terminal diesel traded on the spot market at Santos, Paranagua, Suape and Itaqui ports fell in relation to Petrobras' basis by R140/m³, R230/m³, R102.50/m³ and R160/m³, respectively. The move followed international volatility caused by trade conflicts, because imported diesel corresponds to nearly 20pc of all the Brazilian domestic supply. On 29 April, the same indicators had fallen by another R187.47/m³, R188.52/m³, R195.28/m³ and R175.10/m³, respectively. By Rebecca Gompertz Send comments and request more information at [email protected] Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Australia’s election gives LNG, fuels sector certainty
Australia’s election gives LNG, fuels sector certainty
Sydney, 5 May (Argus) — Australia's governing Labor party's second majority term could mean that changes to the offshore permitting regime promised last year are signed into law, while east coast LNG businesses will avoid a planned reservation system proposed by the opposition. Labor's victory at the 3 May election combined with the election of fewer members from the Greens party and climate-focused independents, could mean it faces less pressure to cancel fossil fuel projects. But it will remain reliant on the Greens to pass laws through the nation's upper house — the senate — meaning Labor may need to negotiate the passage of bills with the leftist party if the Liberal-National-based coalition opposes its measures. The Greens ran on a promise to ban new coal, oil and gas projects but won fewer seats than in 2022 because of preference flows. A federal decision on the lifetime extension of the Woodside Energy-operated 14.4mn t/yr North West Shelf (NWS) LNG delayed by Labor, is now looking more positive for the firm. The firm sees approval as vital to progressing its Browse gas development offshore northwestern Australia. Voters' rejection of the opposition Coalition on the nation's east coast means its policy to reserve a further 50-100PJ (1.34bn-2.68bn m³/yr) from the Gladstone-based LNG exporters will not proceed. The result provides an opportunity for certainty and stability for the energy sector, upstream lobby Australian Energy Producers said. The group urged the government to focus on new supply as Australia's gas reserves for domestic use rapidly deplete. The government will need to specify exactly how it aims to secure supplies to ensure stable supply, once coal-fired generators retire at the end of the 2020s and into the 2030s. This is because the nation's integrated system plan is based on Labor's policy of reaching 82pc renewable energy in the power grid, backed up by about 15GW of gas-fired power. Industry will await further direction stemming from the Future Gas Strategy which canvassed solutions to Australia's declining gas supply including new pipelines, storage and seasonal LNG imports. Permitting concerns In the government's previous three-year term, a series of court-ordered requirements to consult with affected Aboriginal groups briefly disrupted multi-billion dollar LNG developments. Labor promised to specify through new laws exactly which groups must be consulted before approvals could be granted. But these were dropped from the agenda in early 2024 following opposition by the Greens. Labor's resources minister Madeleine King blamed the Greens for obstructionist manoeuvres on this legislation, but it remains unclear if and when Labor might introduce such laws. Conversely, the Coalition promised to end government support for anti-gas lobbies such as law group the Environmental Defenders Office — set to continue under Labor. In liquid fuels, Labor's victory should boost Australia's electric vehicle (EV) sales, with emissions standards laws set to remain enforced. The Coalition had said it would soften the laws because of concern over cost of living pressures. Plans to temporarily cut the fuel excise will also not progress. Australia's EV take-up has stalled, and industry has blamed this on poor investment in recharging infrastructure and other policy settings, including the removal of the fringe benefits tax exemption for plug-in hybrid car models. A re-elected Labor government is likely to further policy towards a mandate for sustainable aviation fuel or renewable diesel, given the growing share of Australia's emissions projected to come from the transport industry. It pledged A$250mn ($162mn) for low-carbon liquid fuels development in March , for low-carbon liquid fuels development in March, as part of its commitment to the nascent sector. Local market participants are optimistic that further biofuels support will be provided as urgency to meet net zero ambitions builds, including a 2030 target of 43pc lower emissions based on 2005 levels. About A$6bn/yr of feedstocks like canola, tallow and used cooking oil are exported from Australia, while existing ethanol and biodiesel producers are running underutilised plants, making about 175mn litres/yr at present, because of poorly-enforced blending mandates. By Tom Major Send comments and request more information at [email protected] Copyright © 2025. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
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