Singapore is currently seeking a replacement LNG cargo via the country's importers, as the city-state's LNG supply has been disrupted by a production halt and subsequent force majeure declaration issued by state-owned QatarEnergy (QE), Singapore's minister-in-charge of energy Tan See Leng said in a Facebook post on 12 March.
State-owned QatarEnergy (QE) declared force majeure following the halt of production of LNG and associated products to its "affected" buyers on 4 March.
It was not stated if the replacement cargo will be sought by the country's state-owned GasCo. The minister also did not reveal the countries from which the replacement cargo will be sought, although he highlighted Singapore's other LNG import sources, which include the US and Australia.
Singapore imports a substantial volume of LNG from Qatar. It imported a total of 6.04mn t of LNG in 2025, of which nearly 47pc, or 2.83mn t, came from Qatar, according to data from Global Trade Tracker (GTT).
But the city-state's longer-term exposure is significantly more diverse. It imported a total of 12mn t of LNG over 2021-26, of which 46.4pc originated from Australia, while Qatari imports accounted for a considerably smaller share at 25.3pc, according to GTT data.
About half of Singapore's gas supply also comprises of piped natural gas from neighbouring Malaysia and Indonesia, Tan added, implying that the country is not wholly reliant on imported LNG alone.
But reliance on pipeline supplies also carries risks. Singapore's existing gas contracts with Indonesia are set to expire by 2028, and pipeline gas imports from Malaysia may expire by 2027, consulting firm Wood Mackenzie said in a July 2025 report. This raises the possibility that Singapore may soon become fully dependent on imported LNG for its gas needs, making continued diversification even more essential.
Singapore government agency Energy Market Authority (EMA) warned on 4 March that Singapore could soon face higher power prices should the US-Iran conflict be prolonged.
The front half-month of the ANEA — the Argus spot price for LNG deliveries into northeast Asia — was last assessed at $19.71/mn Btu on 11 March, down by 18pc from last week's peak. But this was 86.6pc higher, or almost double compared with the front half-month ANEA on 27 February, just before the start of the US-Iran war.
