KUWAIT, April 27 (Reuters) - Kuwait has signed a contract toimport liquefied natural gas (LNG) from fellow Gulf state Qatarto help meet its energy needs to the end of 2014, state newsagency KUNA reported on Sunday.
The first shipment of LNG will arrive in Kuwait on Mondayunder the contract between Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC)and state-owned Qatargas, KUNA said.
There were no further details on the terms of the deal withQatar, which is the world's largest LNG exporter.
Rising air conditioning demand in the hot Middle Easternsummer and a lack of domestic supply means OPEC member Kuwaitneeds to import more gas each year to run its power plants.
The contract paves the way for greater cooperation betweenthe two companies, KUNA quoted a KPC official as saying. Itadded that major oil producer Kuwait was still looking at waysto supply its LNG needs beyond 2019.
Kuwait began importing LNG in 2009 and signed deals withRoyal Dutch Shell and Swiss-based trader Vitol to supply itduring the peak power demand period from April to October overthe last four summers.
Earlier this month KPC said Shell and BP had signed deals tosupply Kuwait with LNG over the next five to six years. Thecombined supply from the two companies will be around 2.5million tonnes a year. (Reporting by Sylvia Westall; editing by Andrew Roche)
