Natural gas is the most environmentally friendly combustion option from fossil fuels, which means that prioritizing its use globally will help reduce global CO2 emissions and improve public health. The LNG process allows this profitable fuel to be safely and efficiently offloaded aboard purpose-built LNG vessels
During the most part of 2020, the LNG transportation market was in a downturn, as were many other segments of the global gas industry due to the pandemic. LNG exports fell 0.2%YoY in 2020, driven by a slowdown in LNG demand amid the Covid-19 pandemic. The commissioning of various LNG carriers around the world has exacerbated this trend. In the period from 2018 to 2020, the market recorded a record commissioning of LNG tankers, 139 tankers entered service. As a result, more than 600 LNG tankers were operating on the global market at the beginning of 2021.
Here is the list of the top 10 largest LNG shipping companies by market capitalization.
- ENI
Eni has a global LNG portfolio based on long-term procurement contracts that include liquefaction and re-gasification plants. Seeking to develop international projects while maintaining its focus in Europe, the company sold the first LNG produced at its Jangkrik, Indonesia project in 2017. Prior to that, in 2016, Eni teamed up with BP to sell LNG produced by Coral. Southern project in Mozambique for the next 20 years with an approximate annual production of 3.3 million tons per annum
- EQUINOR
Realizing the potential of a growing market, Equinor now sells LNG to more than 20 countries around the world. Equinor, which produces primarily from the Snevit field in the Barents Sea, has four LNG carriers and terminals in Hammerfest and Bilbao. Aiming to reduce CO2 emissions to near zero by 2030 in its offshore and onshore operations, Equinor is firmly committed to sustainability. With over 150 vessels operating on the Norwegian continental shelf, including supply vessels, reserve vessels, anchor handling vessels, and about 100 tankers, are an important charterer in the maritime market.
- CONOCOPHILLIPS
Not only an avid proponent of LNG but also an innovator in its production, ConocoPhillips developed the widespread “Optimized Cascade” process in 1969. This technology, pioneered at the Kenai LNG plant in Alaska, uses proprietary technology for gas liquefaction and waste filtration/disposal. Recognized in the industry, the process is now licensed for 25 LNG lines. ConocoPhillips’ current LNG projects include Australia Pacific LNG, Darwin LNG, and Qatargas 3 in Qatar, which began operations in 2010 and have a projected service life of 25 years.
- GAZPROM GROUP
In an effort to expand its presence in the “promising gas markets”, Gazprom is giving priority to the development of LNG. With LNG sales of 3.88 million tons in 2018, Gazprom is now looking to add itself to the list of major players in the LNG industry. Declaring its confidence that shale gas production will be less profitable in future markets, the company (and Russia) is expected to become the leader in LNG production by 2030. With the first delivery of Russian LNG to Mongolia in November 2019, Gazprom is already leading its domestic market.
- BP
BP is focused on bringing innovative commercial solutions to the LNG market under its own brand, leveraging its extensive supply and shipping portfolio. BP produces 25 billion cubic meters of gas per year for the European market as the main shareholder and partner of Shah Deniz, one of the largest gas condensate fields in Azerbaijan. Further developments are taking place in Asia and Africa, the company owns nearly a third of the Guangdong Dapeng LNG terminal in China, and BP has teamed up with Kosmos Energy in Senegal and Mauritania to comprehensively develop LNG projects in the region.
- TOTAL
With 40 years of experience in the LNG industry, Total is one of the few companies in the sector that “integrates operations across the entire gas value chain, from production and liquefaction to marketing and distribution to end-users”. The total has a global interest in LNG, which is projected to bring nearly 40 million metric tons to the global market by 2020. Moreover, it also directs funds for the development of sea transportation of gas in its liquid form. Current projects include Yamal LNG and Ichthys, located on the coast of Australia.
- CHINA NATIONAL PETROLEUM CORPORATION
In an effort to diversify its portfolio, CNPC expanded its operations to three LNG terminals in Hebei, Jiangsu, and Dalian provinces. As a result of a notable improvement in production capabilities, the company was able to ship 15.13 million tons of LNG at its three terminals in 2018, up 45% over 2017. The company’s current projects include Tangshan LNG, which has a dock, overpass, and terminals. The total storage capacity will be 640,000 cubic meters, and the terminal’s annual capacity will be 10 million tons.
- ROYAL DUTCH SHELL
As a pioneer in the LNG market, Shell has been involved in a global LNG project for over 50 years. The world’s first LNG plant located in Algeria, received delivery assistance in 1964 from Shell, which also shipped the resulting product to the UK for sale. Shell is at the forefront of the LNG trade in many ways. The company’s ongoing supply projects are currently represented in 10 countries around the world, including an LNG plant in Brunei, LNG in Oman, and LNG in Nigeria.
- CHEVRON
Chevron CEO John Watson said at the 18th International LNG Conference and Exhibition: “Experts predict that global LNG demand will grow by nearly 130% by 2035.” To match this figure, Chevron’s Angola LNG Project is one of the most impressive energy projects in action in Africa today. With a processing capacity of 1.1 billion cubic feet of gas per day, Chevron ALNG has a significant impact on growing LNG demand, producing an average of 23,000 barrels of LNG per day in 2018.
- EXXONMOBIL
With a clear understanding of the important role LNG plays in shaping future fuel supplies, ExxonMobil has over 40 years of experience in the sector. Confirming its status as a global leader, ExxonMobil is expanding its portfolio of liquefied natural gas operations to meet growing global demand. These projects include one in Papua New Guinea, which recorded a production volume of 9 million tons in 2018, and in Mozambique. The latest development, called Zone 4, is estimated to contain 85 trillion cubic feet of gas. It is an exciting and profitable venture for a company with a firm focus on the future.