Natural Gas Daily: Japan Biggest Lender to LNG; U.S. Projects Get Large Share

25 Apr 2015: “Last year was one of the best years for bank participation in financing of liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects around the world, according to a new report from LNG specialists Poten & Partners. Lending volume was bolstered substantially by backing for U.S.-based projects, Poten said. “Japanese banks occupied five of the slots among the top 10 lenders, according to Poten. European banks rounded out the top 10. Japanese banks provided more than $5 billion to LNG projects last year, or about 43% of the $12 billion lent during the year. ‘This amount, which came from 11 Japanese lenders, jumps by a significant $6 billion once direct lending from the country’s export credit agency, the Japanese Bank for International Cooperation, is included,’ Poten said in a note. “Participation in U.S. LNG project financings largely determined the rankings because the bulk of the funds supplied by banks in 2014 primarily went to support two large U.S. liquefaction projects, the firm said.”