Japan’s LNG consumption stays at peak levels

January consumption is second largest on record.

Platts reported that Japan's 10 major power utilities consumed 5.16 million metric tons of liquefied natural gas in January, the second highest level on record for the month of January following the record high 5.23 million metric tons in January 2012.

The January 2013 total, however, was a 1.5% decrease from the January 2012 record. Power utilities also used a total 3.02 million kiloliters of crude and fuel oil in January, down 3.8% from a year earlier.

LNG and crude and fuel oil use, however, is expected to rise in the remaining months of Japan’s winter power demand season in February and March,