KUALA LUMPUR (July 7): Petronas LNG Ltd (PLL), a subsidiary of Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas), has secured a 10-year term deal worth US$7 billion to supply liquefied natural gas (LNG) to CNOOC Gas and Power Trading & Marketing Ltd, a subsidiary of China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC).

Petronas said in a statement today the deal is for 2.2 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) for a 10-year period, indexed to a combination of the Brent and Alberta Energy Company (AECO) indices.

The term deal between Petronas and CNOOC is valued at approximately US$7 billion over ten years, it added.

It noted that this long-term supply agreement also includes supply from LNG Canada when the facility commences its operations by middle of the decade.

Petronas vice president of LNG marketing and trading Shamsairi M Ibrahim said the group is proud to strengthen its decade-long relationship with CNOOC through this term LNG supply.

“Importantly, it reflects the markets’ receptiveness and recognition of AECO indexed LNG into the world’s largest LNG market, as we seek to grow the use of LNG as a cleaner and cost-effective form of energy,” he added.

According to Petronas, the AECO index, housed on the ICE NGX commodity exchange platform, is one of the most liquid spot and forward energy markets in North America. It is the leading price marker for natural gas in Canada similar to the United States’ Henry Hub, which is the benchmark for natural gas prices used as an indexation to LNG prices.

Petronas said it introduced the AECO index to its customers in May this year following the sale of a spot cargo from Bintulu, Malaysia, to a buyer in the Far East.

Petronas added the agreement with CNOOC, China’s largest LNG importer, reflects Petronas’ commitment to ensure security of supply through an established transparent and stable price index such as AECO in the LNG market, while providing additional pricing options for its customers.

Once ready for operations, the LNG Canada project paves the way for Petronas to supply low greenhouse gas (GHG) emission LNG to the key demand markets in Asia, it added.

“The deal also further strengthens the ongoing relationship established since 2006 and reflects Petronas’ commitment in supporting the endeavour of CNOOC and its associated companies to meet the fast-growing demand for cleaner energy and support China’s national aspiration of peak emissions and carbon neutrality,” it noted.