LNG giant Qatar's empty shelves pose upside risk for Asian gas prices

London

GAS exporting giant Qatar has all but sold out of winter supply after committing its spare output to China and South Korea, a development that could tighten Asia's gas markets as the peak demand season bites.

Doha's bumper sales will also ring alarm bells for other regions reliant on Qatari liquefied natural gas (LNG) such as Europe and may further boost Asian spot prices LNG-AS, which have already surged 55 per cent since September, traders said.

Despite widespread forecasts of an LNG glut, China's shift to gas this year as it moved millions of households away from coal to combat smog has lifted its LNG imports by …