Countries attempting to import more LNG could increase an already growing advantage over suppliers worldwide in the next few years, a market analyst suggested. “Demand growth could be slow for the next few years, but as lower prices sink in, it could start to grow,” said Christopher Goncalvez, a managing director in Berkeley Research Group’s Washington office. “Japan is a huge wild card as it ponders whether to reactivate its idled nuclear power capacity. That creates so many uncertainties.” A global LNG surplus already exists, Goncalvez told an audience at the US Energy Association on Sept. 22. “We have become much more conservative with regard to LNG exports,” he said. “We see a range of 44-63 [billion cu m]/year by 2020. There are some variables out there that might possibly drive exports up a bit. But demand won’t be able to keep up with supply for the next decade.” […]