(Bloomberg) -- Centrica Plc plans to ramp up its supplies of liquefied natural gas, inking a 7 billion-pound ($8.5 billion) deal for US volumes as Europe rushes to wean itself off Russian fuel.

The UK company signed a heads of agreement with Delfin Midstream Inc. to buy LNG from the US’s first floating export facility, off Louisiana. While deliveries aren’t expected to start until 2026, the accord shows European firms are securing extra supply after disruption to Russian gas flows sent prices soaring.

Centrica is focused on boosting its LNG portfolio and “ensuring that we increase our access to a diversified range of reliable gas supplies,” Chief Executive Officer Chris O’Shea said in a statement on Tuesday.

The deal follows a similar agreement between Delfin and Vitol Group last month. Delfin is scouting for customers for production from its LNG project ahead of a final investment decision expected later this year.

Centrica agreed to purchase 1 million tons annually for 15 years. The company earlier this year vowed to exit all accords with Russian exporter Gazprom PJSC, and has since clinched an agreement to get more gas from Norway over the coming winters. In the UK, it’s trying to hammer out a deal to restore capacity at the giant Rough storage site before the cold season sets in.

Countries in Europe are hunting for alternative sources of gas after slapping sanctions on Russia in the wake of its invasion of Ukraine. Moscow’s supply cuts have pushed prices to records, driving inflationary pressure that’s stoked a cost-of-living crisis across the continent.

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“Today’s deal between Centrica and Delfin is positive news for the UK, helping to ensure our diversity of supply from reliable sources -- like our friends in the United States -- for many years to come,” British Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said in the statement.

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