LNG Canada makes 1st shipment to Asia
A tanker carrying the cargo from LNG Canada's plant in British Columbia, western Canada, set sail on Monday.
LNG Canada is a project run by British oil and gas giant Shell and four Asian firms, including Mitsubishi Corporation.
The plant converts Canadian natural gas into a liquid state for export to Asia. It can produce 14 million tons of LNG annually. That would account for about 20 percent of Japan's yearly consumption. 2.1 million tons of the total has been allocated to Mitsubishi.
"Canada's new role as a source of LNG supply to Japan will enable Mitsubishi Corporation to meet the increasing demand for LNG in Japan," said Mitsubishi Corporation Executive Vice President Saito Masaru.
Mitsubishi officials say it will take about 10 days for the LNG to reach Japan. That's less time than it takes oil deliveries to arrive from the US and Middle East.
The start of the project comes at a time when Japan is looking to diversify its energy sources. Supply stability has been threatened by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and conflict in the Middle East.
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