British PM Welcomes Shale Gas Import Deal

British prime minister David Cameron has welcomed a deal to provide energy for the UK via liquefied natural gas exports from U.S. shale fields.

Finding a secure source of LNG from the United States will add diversity to the British energy sector, Cameron said. The deal, for an initial 20 years, is between national energy provider Centrica and Cheniere Energy Partners. 

"Future gas supplies from the U.S. will help diversify our energy mix and provide British consumers with a new long-term, secure and affordable source of fuel," Cameron said, quoted by news agencies.

The UK has much lower gas storage capacity than many of its European neighbours. Centrica wants to build a new gas storage facility.

The LNG will come from the Sabine Pass plant in Louisiana, using shale gas. Sabine Pass is so far the only terminal outside Alaska to get approval for full LNG exports from US authorities.