Imported gas to help power Boston homes this winter

EVERETT, Mass. — A solution to the natural gas shortage in New England this weekend is coming from an unprecedented source - Russia.

For the very first time, Russian gas is set to help power homes in the Boston area.

After sitting outside the Boston Harbor for several days undergoing an intensive multi-agency security sweep, a tanker containing liquefied natural gas from Russia was cleared to pull into the Everett import terminal.

Crews along the Mystic River were working all Sunday evening to unload all the imported fuel.

Boston 25 News spoke with an expert who says the Boston area may soon be getting more gas from Russia based on supply, demand and constraints.

The recent cold snap in New England has homeowners, businesses and utilities scouring for fuel supplies.

"This particular vessel got a little more attention and security just because it's out of the norm," said U.S. Coast Guard Lieutenant Jennifer Sheehy. "As far as the Coast Guard is concerned, there are no safety concerns with the cargo itself."

Inside the tanker is gas produced in Siberia, reportedly the first shipment of gas from Russia to ever reach the United States.

The shipment comes on the heels of expanded U.S. sanctions on Russian businesses and people - but the restrictions do not include commodities produced in Russia.

"The fact that there's a Russian cargo would seem to indicate that the buyer was willing to pay the price that the Russian seller was willing to accept," said Jason Feer, head of business intelligence at Poten & Partners Inc.

Feer tells Boston 25 News almost all the liquid natural gas arriving in New England by boat comes from another country because of current restrictions on shipping at U.S. ports.

"Because there are no U.S. flagged LNG vessels currently, you can't move LNG from the U.S. Gulf Coast to the U.S. Northeast," Feer said. "Even though the U.S. is exporting LNG out of the gulf coast under law because of lack of U.S. flagged vessels, the U.S. has to import from somewhere."

With a massive natural gas pipeline project on hold in the region, Feer says the area will have to continue relying on it being imported.

Feer believes the arrival of Russian cargo in Boston is a sign of an expanding global market.

While some of the natural gas on board this ship was produced in Russia, it was then sold to a French company before being shipped to Boston.

A second tanker with natural gas from Russia is expected to arrive here in the Boston area sometime next month.

Cox Media Group