A major gas deal between Russia and China could finally be sealed this week when Russian President Vladimir Putin visits China on May 20-21 and meets with President Xi Jinping. In the lead up to Putin's arrival, the two sides have been working on putting the finishing touches on a 30-year contract for a gas deal a decade in the making, and Russian officials have suggested that the deal will be completed by Putin's arrival.

Gazprom's CEO Alexei Miller announced on a Russian news show last weekend that Russia and China were "one digit" away from finalizing the agreement. "There is just one question - it's ... a starting, base price in the price formula which, it's remarkable, has already been fully agreed upon with our Chinese partners," he said on May 17. "It's a very little more - to put in only one digit, and a 30-year contract to supply 38 bcm of gas from East Siberia to China will be signed," said Miller.

38 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas is equivalent to one-quarter of China's current gas consumption. The contract begins in 2018 and runs through 2048.

To get the gas into China, Russia plans on building a $23 billion pipeline that will span the length of Russia, just north of the Chinese border. It will connect with China at four points – one near where the borders of China, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Russia meet, and three more connections much further east, including one at Vladivostok.

The negotiations have taken so long mostly because neither side wanted to give in on price. China was looking for similar or better pricing than what Russia gives to Europe, which would be between $10 and $11 per thousand cubic foot (mcf). For years, Russia held out for a higher price, but the crisis in Ukraine has weakened Russia's hand. Gazprom gets about 80 percent of its revenue from selling gas to Europe, and with Russia's relationship with its western neighbors deteriorating quickly, Russia needs other markets. That has it looking east.

China has gained even greater leverage over the years from working with Turkmenistan on natural gas supplies. China already receives about half of its natural gas imports from Turkmenistan – 20 bcm – and the two sides agreed last year to triple the volume to 65 bcm by 2020.

So while Russia was waiting for China to cave, the Middle Kingdom was finding alternative suppliers.

Moreover, not only is Russia feeling exposed by its dependence on a European market that could shrink in the coming years, but it is also in a race against the clock to meet rising Asian gas demand. That's because a lot of liquefied natural gas capacity is set to come online in over the next three to five years; both Australia and the U.S. have ambitious plans to send LNG to Japan, South Korea and China. Russia is in a much better position geographically to meet that demand, but it would need to accelerate building pipeline capacity and liquefaction terminals before Australian and American companies beat them to the punch.

All this is to say that China has capitalized on Russia's vulnerability, and before the last "i" is dotted on the gas contract, Beijing might have what it wants.

If that happens, it would be a major concession by Russia. As Steve LeVine notes over at Quartz, the $10-$11/mcf price Russia may agree to would be below the $12/mcf that Gazprom needs to merely break even.

For the deal to go through, China might have to pay a large amount upfront instead of over 30 years. Investors continue to pull billions of dollars out of the Russian economy in the response to the crisis in Ukraine, so Moscow could use Beijing's money.

Source: http://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/Russias-Weakened-Hand-Could-Pay-Off-For-Beijing-In-Major-Gas-Deal.html

By Nicholas Cunningham of Oilprice.com

© 2014 Copyright OilPrice.com- All Rights Reserved
Disclaimer: The above is a matter of opinion provided for general information purposes only and is not intended as investment advice. Information and analysis above are derived from sources and utilising methods believed to be reliable, but we cannot accept responsibility for any losses you may incur as a result of this analysis. Individuals should consult with their personal financial advisors.

Only logged in users are allowed to post comments. Register/ Log in

The Market Oracle is a FREE Financial Markets Forecasting & Analysis web-site.
(c) 2005-2024 MarketOracle.co.uk (Market Oracle Ltd) - Market Oracle Ltd asserts copyright on all articles authored by our editorial team and all comments posted. Any and all information provided within the web-site, is for general information purposes only and Market Oracle Ltd do not warrant the accuracy, timeliness or suitability of any information provided on this site. nor is or shall be deemed to constitute, financial or any other advice or recommendation by us. and are also not meant to be investment advice or solicitation or recommendation to establish market positions. We do not give investment advice and our comments are an expression of opinion only and should not be construed in any manner whatsoever as recommendations to enter into a market position either stock, option, futures contract, bonds, commodity or any other financial instrument at any time. We recommend that independent professional advice is obtained before you make any investment or trading decisions. By using this site you agree to this sites Terms of Use. From time to time we promote or endorse certain products / services that we believe are worthy of your time and attention. In return for that endorsement and only in the cases where you purchase directly though us may we be compensated by the producers of those products.