UPDATE 1-Australia strikes may impact short-term LNG prices -Shell

Global gas prices could rise in the short term if strikes at Australia's liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants take place, but markets are well balanced now with inventory levels keeping high in North Asia and Europe, a Shell executive said on Wednesday. Gas prices jumped in Asia and Europe last week on concerns that industrial action could disrupt exports from major Australian LNG plants operated by Woodside Energy and U.S. major Chevron. "Supply and demand balance in LNG is quite matched which is why we see some vulnerability (in prices)," Zoe Yujnovich, Shell's integrated gas and upstream director, told reporters.