U.S. gas exporters are asking Europe to delay the enforcement of a new methane emissions law, a top official of the national suppliers' lobby said, warning the regulatory risk is already holding back long‑term contracts with European customers.
"U.S. exporters are asking for targeted clarifications on the new methane law and that the implementation be delayed until the European Commission and member states provide clarity on compliance, informed by industry input," Senior Vice President of the Natural Gas Supply Association (NGSA) Charlie Riedl said.
Speaking to BIC on the sidelines of the Flame gas and LNG conference in Amsterdam, Riedl initially suggested the need for a delay of at least one year, but later clarified that he was not proposing a prescribed time frame for a postponement.
The EU methane law requires that, from January 2027, imported gas must comply with monitoring and verification rules equivalent to Europe's, or meet a voluntary industry standard known as "Oil and Gas Methane Partnership 2.0 level 5".
"I know that several of the companies the association represents have instructed their commercial staff not to sign long-term agreements ... because of the uncertainty," Riedl said.
The United States has become Europe's largest supplier of liquefied natural gas (LNG), helping to replace a sharp drop in Russian pipeline gas after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Global gas markets are expected to remain tight after the Iran conflict disrupted up to a fifth of global LNG supply and delayed new capacity, according to the International Energy Agency.
Some companies have signed new supply deals with U.S. producers to bridge the gap resulting from the expected delay to new supply from Qatar due to the damage caused by the war.
In March, oil and gas companies, including majors based in Europe, urged Brussels to pause its methane emissions law, warning it could disrupt Europe's fuel imports.
The European Commission has offered companies more flexible compliance options but so far has declined to roll back the policy, a central pillar of its climate strategy.
