Global gas markets are grappling with significant turbulence as looming strikes in Australian liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants reverberate across the industry, prompting a surge in wholesale gas prices in Europe.
The Offshore Alliance, a prominent workers’ collective, has raised the alarm regarding a potential strike at an LNG plant situated in Australia’s North West Shelf. The anticipated strike action, slated to potentially commence as early as September 2nd, underscores the crucial issue of wage negotiations that have yet to yield a consensus.
The aftermath of this announcement has seen gas prices within the European Union (EU) and Britain surge by approximately 10% on August 21st. This development unfolds against the backdrop of escalating gas prices prompted by Russia’s incursion into Ukraine. However, the unique concern stemming from the impending strike at Woodside Energy Group’s North West Shelf LNG plant is its potential to disrupt LNG shipments from Australia, a key global supplier of the resource.
The workforce at two additional offshore LNG facilities, namely Gorgon and Whetstone, both operated by Chevron, is also poised at a critical juncture. A resolution to the potential strike is imminent, with the outcome of the vote expected to be disclosed on August 24th. When taken in aggregate, these three facilities collectively contribute to about 10% of the world’s LNG supply, underscoring the far-reaching ramifications of any disruption.
Experts from the Breegel Institute have issued a stark warning, emphasizing that the impending strikes have the capacity to exert a considerable influence on global LNG prices. The delicate interplay of supply and demand, geopolitical tensions, and labor negotiations manifests in the unfolding situation, underscoring the intricate dynamics shaping the energy landscape.
As the global energy market navigates this period of uncertainty, the confluence of factors influencing gas prices underscores the pivotal role that labor negotiations and geopolitical events play in shaping the cost and availability of critical resources.