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Expects completion of more LNG deals within months
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Building up new portfolio after Russian exports ceased
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LNG talks include U.S., West Africa and Gulf, among others
(Adds detail, context)
By Tom Käckenhoff
FRANKFURT, Feb 16 (Reuters) - German gas importer and
trader Sefe is talking to various suppliers of liquefied natural
gas (LNG) with a view to securing deals within months, a
spokesperson said, as Germany continues to seek alternatives to
Russian gas.
Sefe - short for Securing Energy for Europe - is the former division of Russia's Gazprom nationalised by the Berlin government last year in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Prospective counterparties for the company, which said in January it had secured 3.5 billion cubic metres (bcm) of regasification capacity in Dunkirk, include entities in the United States, West Africa and Gulf region states, the spokesperson said. "We want a diversified portfolio. That applies not just to geographies but also in terms of contract partners," the spokesperson said, adding desired contracts were for one to two years, four to five years, and more long-term over 10 years. Germany has opened talks with international LNG producers for supplies since Russia turned off the pipeline gas taps last year and speedily constructed floating reception terminals. Sefe has secured regasification capacity at the Stade hub project. Its strategy to source alternative gas has also focused on buying more pipeline-delivered North Sea volumes as well as receiving LNG for delivery via existing coastal terminals in neighbouring European countries. Sefe required state-backed financing to plug funding gaps and ensure it could buy missing Russian volumes on the spot market.
On the LNG purchasing front, Sefe peers RWE and Uniper have also been active in striking deals. Sefe, which already buys LNG from Cameroon, among other sources, wants to raise the share of LNG in its portfolio to 20% this year from 10%, the spokesperson said. She said the company is confident of achieving the target. (Reporting by Tom Kaeckenhoff; Writing by Vera Eckert; Editing by Miranda Murray and David Holmes)
@EckertVera;))