German utilities close to Qatar LNG deals

FILE PHOTO: Snowcovered transfer lines are seen at the Dominion Cove Point Liquefied Natural Gas terminal in Maryland

FRANKFURT: German utilities RWE and Uniper are close to striking long-term deals to buy liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Qatar’s North Field Expansion project to help replace Russian gas, three sources familiar with the matter say.

Talks between Germany and Qatar have been fraught with differences over key conditions such as the length of the contracts and pricing, but the industry sources, who declined to be named, said the parties were expected to reach a compromise soon.