How technology and changing business models are impacting the future of LNG

Over the last decade, the global natural gas supply industry has begun to move away from its traditional integrated model where major producers developed large, often stranded gas fields, built large liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities and sold the cargoes to mainly large utilities.

Today, a number of newer business models have emerged due to the rapidly changing dynamics that are impacting the market, including increasing resource availability (e.g., US shale gas), new technologies (e.g., floating liquefaction – floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG), and floating storage regasification units (FSRUs)) and new sources of demand (e.g., China and India). While long-term contracts still make up the bulk of current trade, portfolio companies, tolling liquefiers, and networks of smaller buyers and sellers have grown substantially. We analyzed these new business models in our 2016 report, Work in progress: How can business models adapt to evolving LNG markets. In this report we expand on that framework to address the impact of new technologies, new business models and changing supply and demand conditions.

To assess this impact, we conducted a survey of LNG market executives from around the world and across the value chain, including major producers, traders and buyers along with interviews with industry thought leaders. This report includes an overview of the LNG landscape with a focus on current supply and demand, and an analysis of how the industry’s business models have changed in the last few years and how they could continue to evolve. The report then highlights several major technologies driving the evolution including small-scale LNG, floating liquefaction and regasification, new gas-on-gas trading hubs, digitization (e.g., blockchain, data analytics and the Internet of Things) and more flexible financing. Lastly, the report outlines how different business models and new technologies could shape the LNG market of tomorrow – one that is likely to be more flexible, liquid and accessible.

About the survey

Deloitte conducted a survey in June, July and August of 2018 with 20 LNG market participants from Australia, China, India, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, the UK, and the US, and from across the value chain including producers, traders and buyers. The sample included executives, managers, and professionals in a number of functions including consulting, finance, legal, sales and strategy. The survey asked questions on expected sources of new supply and demand, the rate of supply and demand growth, as well as opportunities and challenges for finance, technology and business models.