SINGAPORE, Sept. 18, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Monthly average prices of liquefied natural gas (LNG) for October delivery to Asia fell 4.8% from September to $15.235 per million British thermal units (/MMBtu), as demand faded on cooler autumn temperatures, according to the latest monthly Platts Japan/Korea Marker (JKM) for month-ahead delivery. The monthly average Platts JKM for delivery in October was assessed from August 16 to September 13.

The price decline for October delivery followed a 3.5% price increase to $16.005/MMBtu for September delivery, breaking an infant two-month price uptrend.

On a year-over-year basis, the average October JKM was up 17.4% from the October 2012 average of $12.971/MMBtu, which was the lowest monthly JKM average during the calendar year.

Trading was thin in the traditionally slower shoulder month of October in North Asia, with moderate temperatures capping domestic demand. Shoulder months are the spring and autumn months, when energy demand tends to be at its lowest levels of the year. Sources told Platts that buyers with spare tank space had no urgent need to buy cargoes and were bargain-hunting.

"Term buyers were largely drawing on additional availability from Pacific projects, such as Malaysia's Bintulu LNG, Indonesia's Bontang LNG, Brunei LNG and Russia's Sakhalin 2 project," said Sarah Cottle, global editorial director of power at Platts, a leading global energy, petrochemicals and metals information provider and a premier source of benchmark price references.

"This, coupled with ample spot supply in the Atlantic Basin, left price sentiment largely bearish," Cottle said. "Also, the high cost of freight charters in the West widened the price spread between bids and offers, which limited spot trading."

Meanwhile, thermal coal and fuel oil - also used to fuel Asian utilities and substitutes to LNG - registered year-over-year price declines for October delivery. But on a month-over-month basis, the fuels moved in opposite directions, thermal coal down 3.5% from September and fuel oil up 1.6% from September, according to Platts' latest price data as assessed between August 16 to September 13.

    Platts Spot JKM and Substitute Fuel Prices (Monthly Averages)*

                                                       Oct-13                Oct-12                 Sep-13                     Year-On-Year                          Month-On-Month

                                                                                                                                                Change %                            Change %

                   JKM ($/MMBtu)                              15.235                12.971                 16.005                                 17.4                                 -4.8

                 Qinhuangdao coal                               3.78                  4.56                   3.92                                -17.0                                 -3.5

                     ($/MMBtu)

                 180 CST fuel oil                              16.02                 17.59                  15.77                                 -8.9                                  1.6

                     ($/MMBtu)

    Source: Platts



    *Referred to as month-ahead, the figures in the table are monthly averages of daily values assessed by Platts from August 16th to September 13th. The Platts JKM
     rolls on the 16th of each calendar month

The Platts JKM is an assessment of LNG prices for spot cargoes delivered to Japan and South Korea, based on the most recent trades and/or bids and offers from buyers and sellers in the open market prevailing at the close of the trading day. The monthly JKM assessments are month-ahead delivered prices and are an average of the daily JKM price assessments reported by Platts.

For more information on natural gas or the methodology used by Platts in its power assessments, visit the Platts website www.platts.com.

Platts' monthly reports on Asia LNG prices and market developments are typically published shortly after the 15(th) of each month.

About Platts: Founded in 1909, Platts is a leading global provider of energy, petrochemicals, metals and agriculture information and a premier source of benchmark prices for the physical and futures markets. Platts' news, pricing, analytics, commentary and conferences help customers make better-informed trading and business decisions and help the markets operate with greater transparency and efficiency. Customers in more than 150 countries benefit from Platts' coverage of the biofuels, carbon emissions, coal, electricity, oil, natural gas, metals, nuclear power, petrochemical, shipping and sugar markets. A division of McGraw Hill Financial (NYSE: MHFI), Platts is headquartered in New York with approximately 900 employees in more than 15 offices worldwide. Additional information is available at http://www.platts.com.

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SOURCE Platts

SOURCE: Platts