Bulgaria makes first US gas buy with two LNG cargoes

SOFIA, June 02 (Reuters): Bulgaria has agreed to buy US natural gas for the first time, signing a deal for a delivery in the second quarter and another in the third, the Bulgarian energy minister said on Friday.

Dutch-registered trader Kolmar NL will deliver a 90 million cubic meter (mcm) cargo of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and a second of 50 mcm.

"The ship carrying LNG from the United States has arrived at the Greek Revithoussa LNG terminal," Energy Minister Temenuzhka Petkova said. "This is yet another step towards liberalization of the gas market and a clear sign of diversification."

The first LNG shipment is from US producer Cheniere and the second one is from the US unit of BP, she said.

Bulgaria signed a contract in April with Greek DEPA for another small gas shipment, part of efforts to reduce an almost complete dependence on supplies from Russia's Gazprom. The new contracts covered about 10 per cent of Bulgaria's gas needs and priced at a level to gas prices in Bulgaria to be cut in the third quarter, state gas wholesaler Bulgargaz said.