国际天然气市场“照付不议”条款变化趋势及中国企业应对建议

The changing trend of “Take or Pay” clause in international natural gas market and suggestions for Chinese enterprises

"照付不议"条款于20世纪70年代由壳牌石油公司首先在能源贸易中运用,经过40多年的发展完善,已经成为国际天然气贸易的主流方式,并成为大宗能源贸易的国际惯例和规则。目前"照付不议"合同出现了一些新的特点及趋势,正在从以往单一、固定的长期合同,向更加灵活、对市场信号反应更灵敏的合同形式发展,这些发展变化在利润分配结构、中短期合同、装运港船上交货方式、贸易双方地位等方面将对国际天然气贸易产生巨大影响。当前,中国天然气市场飞速发展,在四大能源通道中,管输天然气和LNG贸易,含有"照付不议"条款的长期合同占据绝对主导地位,对国内天然气销售市场产生了重大影响。中国能源公司应该密切关注"照付不议"条款发展趋势,熟练运用"照付不议"条款,积极强调"照输不误"条款,应对国际天然气市场的发展变化。

"Take or Pay"clause,first applied to the energy trade market trade by Shell Oil Company in the 1970s,has become the mainstream way of international natural gas trade and the international practice of bulk energy trade rule after more than 40 years of development and improvement.At present,it has seen some new features and trends as follows.It is currently developing from a single,fixed long-term contract to a more flexible and more responsive contract form.Development and change will have a huge impact on the international natural gas trade in terms of profit distribution structure,short-term contracts,FOB methods,and the status of both parties.Currently,with rapid development in China’s natural gas market,"Take or Pay"clauses occupy an absolute dominant position no matter piped natural gas or LNG trade in China’s four major energy channels,which has a major impact on the domestic natural gas sales market.Chinese energy companies should pay close attention to the development trend of the clause and actively respond to the development of the international natural gas market.