Britain, on the threshold of a winter energy crisis that threatens to undermine its economy, intends to sign a contract on liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplies from the United States for up to 20 years, Bloomberg reports, citing unnamed sources.

A U.K. government task force is asking LNG exporters for proposals to supply domestic customers under contracts for that term. The requests from the British government came six months after then Energy Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng visited Washington, D.C., where he held a meeting with U.S. developers of LNG export capacity.

Bloomberg also noted that it is unknown what volumes of liquefied natural gas London is trying to negotiate. According to the agency's sources familiar with the situation, British officials are seeking to buy LNG indexed to the price of gas at Henry Hub and delivered on terms under which the seller must deliver the cargo to a certain buyer and to a certain place.