Seaborne shipments of liquefied natural gas (LNG) to China are expected to decrease for the 13th consecutive month in November, continuing a trend of lower purchases. This decline comes as China's domestic output and piped imports remain strong.

According to Kpler, an analytics company that monitors shipping data, deliveries are projected to be around 5.81 million tons. This figure represents a decrease of approximately 5.5% compared to the same month last year, as per Chinese customs data.

This year, China's demand for LNG has been weak, with buyers opting for less expensive piped gas from Russia and Central Asia instead of pricey seaborne shipments. Additionally, domestic production has been strong.

China is not expected to urgently rely on the spot market, even with winter approaching. Early weather forecasts predict normal to mild temperatures across the country, and China has already secured enough heating fuel through long-term contracts for the coming months.

Last year, China was the world's largest LNG importer, and the current sluggish demand is raising concerns about a potential global oversupply in the coming years as new projects start up in various countries. Even if lower prices attract Chinese importers, analysts from Goldman Sachs Group Inc. believe that China is unlikely to absorb all of the new LNG, leading to ongoing oversupply in the future.