* Algerian spot to mid-term tenders attract attention
* BG Group, Petronas win two cargoes from Nigeria tender
* Fourth Angola cargo rumoured before shutdown
* Trinidad offers two September cargoes
* Shell delivers first shipment to Israel
By Oleg Vukmanovic
LONDON, Aug 23 (Reuters) - Liquefied natural gas (LNG) spotprices fell to $15.30 per million British thermal units (mmBtu)this week as African suppliers pumped out more cargoes in aspree of tenders aimed at Asian and Latin American buyers.
Asian LNG prices were pegged in the mid-$15/mmBtulevel last week.
Higher output from Algeria, Nigeria and Angola marks aturnaround from a period of volatile output in recent months.
A three-week naval blockade of Nigeria's Bonny Islandproduction facility crippled exports last month, but output hasrebounded since and its first free-on-board tender has beensuccessfully concluded.
Malaysia's Petronas and BG Group have eachwon a cargo from the facility loading in early September,according to trading sources. The exact price levels were notimmediately clear.
Angola's new LNG plant also appears to have surmountedrecent setbacks after exporting a third cargo, amid talk that afourth cargo may be imminent before the facility shuts down fordiagnostic tests.
Angola's first cargo sailed to Brazil. The second was soldin a tender process to Chevron, the plant's operator, which thenre-sold it to China National Offshore Oil Corp. for around$16.20/mmBtu. Chevron is said to have paid $16/mmBtu for thecargo.
Angola's third cargo is currently heading to Japan.
But it is Algeria that has dealt traders the biggestsurprise with a spree of tenders for spot and medium-term LNGsupplies in recent weeks.
Algeria's state-run energy firm Sonatrach has launchedseveral liquefied natural gas (LNG) sales tenders including forsingle cargoes, a six-cargo strip from October and a 12-monthsupply commitment, trade sources said.
Three tenders offered to global buyers is unusual forAlgeria where falling gas production and a lack of upstreaminvestment has reduced LNG output in recent years.
But the country's LNG output may rise after officials agreedto scale back piped gas deliveries to Italy, signalling a shiftin export strategy for Africa's biggest gas producer.
Japan has relied heavily on LNG to make up for the nuclearpower capacity it lost after the 2011 tsunami, but utilitieshave recently been ramping up coal use to cut costs.
A total nuclear blackout in September is expected as thecountry's last two atomic plants shut down for safety checks,which may lead to an increase in demand for alternative fuels,including LNG.
Safety incidents at nuclear power plants in the last fewyears have created a growing crisis of confidence in nuclearenergy in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, the world's threelargest LNG buyers.
In the latest safety crisis, Taiwan said its nuclear powerplant may have been leaking radioactive water for three years.
South Korea's nuclear industry has become embroiled inscandal after finding forged safety certificates on parts.
In the Americas, Trinidad has launched a sell tender for twocargoes loading in September, while Latin American countries'demand for the fuel continues to march higher.
"Argentina, Brazil and now Mexico have become a major driverin the spot LNG market, since the majority of their LNG importsare purchased no more than a year in advance," analysts atHouston-based energy consultancy Waterborne Energy said.
"Transatlantic re-exports have increased 327% year on yearin August, with 12.34 billion cubic feet re-exported from Europeto Latin America," Waterborne said.
Re-exports occur when a cargo initially imported into aEuropean terminal is loaded back onto a different tanker foronward transport to a higher-paying market.
The practice has become increasingly popular since gasprices in Europe have diverged dramatically with Asia and LatinAmerica, which is struggling to cover its growing energy needs.
This month almost 10 percent of western Europe's totalimports of LNG were re-exported to Argentina and Brazil, figuresshow.
In Europe, Shell delivered its first LNG cargo to Israel'sfloating LNG terminal at Hadera after BP's 10-cargo deal tosupply the country expired earlier this year.
The first commissioning cargo for Italy's floating offshoreimport terminal Toscana LNG is expected to arrive before the endof the month, Waterborne said.
