lng news

As I have discussed over the last two years, liquefied natural gas (LNG) is going to be a complete game-changer.

And along the way, a small group of LNG stocks will become the main focus for investors.

Remember, the LNG process cools natural gas to a liquid form, allowing it to be shipped over long distances. Upon arrival, the liquefied gas is returned its original state before being injected into pipeline for delivery to foreign consumers.

Already, the construction of LNG receiving terminals in Asia and Europe is accelerating.

Here's why.

The European and Asian markets have the biggest need for imports. These markets have a need to meet rising demand and restrain the prices commanded by long-term pipeline-delivered gas.

Luckily, LNG can do both.

Traditionally, natural gas has only been able to develop regional "spot" markets. These are locations where the availability of volume provides an opportunity for traders to execute a price for a quick sale (usually within 72 hours).

This is because the availability of product depends upon the development of import pipelines, which are multi-year, capital-intensive projects.

LNG, on the other hand, can be delivered to a terminal, so it can provide an immediate increase in available local supply.

To the extent that the LNG trade can be sustained, new spot markets are immediately formed around the hubs that develop at the intersection of terminal and delivery pipelines.

And now Qatar - one of the world's largest producers of conventional gas (that is, from freestanding gas fields) - has banked on LNG being the wave of the future.

Qatar has become the first country to commit all of its production to the LNG trade.

And that is a huge vote of confidence for this market.

Considering the number of new tankers involved, this single decision jolted the global shipbuilding industry into one of the most significant increases in business ever recorded.

The Qatari decision was just the first step...

A Global Boost for LNG Stocks

New export terminals are being built by other major gas producers - Russia, North Africa, and Canada. Our neighbors to the north have clearly signaled where the U.S. will be moving next.

A project is moving forward at Kitimat, British Columbia, on the North Pacific coast. It is scheduled for completion in 2014.

Developers originally intended this project to be an LNG receiving facility. But by the time the construction began, the intended flow of gas had changed by 180 degrees.

Today, this facility will be 100% committed to exporting LNG.

And the reason is the same one that is prompting so much U.S. discussion...