Cold snap and Middle East war leave Argentine factories short of gas
In Argentina, as winter household demand surges and LNG prices climb, small manufacturers face a stark choice. Factories must either pay international rates for gas or halt production entirely.
A sharp cold snap gripping Argentina has rapidly pushed up demand for natural gas. As heating needs rise in homes, limited supply is being directed first to households, leaving industrial users exposed.
A second factor is compounding the situation: the global market. With the war in the Middle East weighing on energy prices, the cost of liquefied natural gas (LNG) has climbed. That has made it expensive for Argentina to cover the shortfall with imported gas. Small manufacturers are caught between buying gas at international rates and temporarily halting production.
Officials and industry representatives are debating how supply should be shared through the winter. How long the cold lasts and where global LNG prices head will be the main factors shaping Argentine industry's output and costs this season.
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