Input Stories

 
Worldwide demand for liquefied natural gas will increase by about 60% in the next decade and a half, thanks to economic expansion, emissions-cutting efforts and the growth of artificial intelligence, Shell said this week (Reuters). 
 
What’s going on: “Demand for natural gas continues to rise globally as the world transitions to cleaner fuels. Industry forecasts LNG demand to reach between 630 million and 718 million metric tons a year by 2040, Shell said in its 2025 annual LNG outlook.”

• The numbers are higher than last year’s forecast, which put LNG demand at anywhere from 625 million tons to 685 million tons a year by 2040.

Where it will go: “Upgraded forecasts show that the world will need more gas for power generation, heating and cooling, industry and transport to meet development and decarbonization goals,” said Shell Senior Vice President of LNG Marketing and Trading Tom Summers.  
 
India: India’s natural gas consumption is set to rise by about 60% from 2023 to 2030, according to the International Energy Agency.

• To meet the growing appetite, the country is increasing LNG import capacity and building out related infrastructure.

Delays: LNG endeavors “have seen delays over the past two years due to geopolitical tensions, regulatory hurdles, labor shortages and supply chain bottlenecks, delaying the availability of around 30 million tons of new LNG supply, the size of India’s LNG imports, to 2028.” 
 
Unleashing U.S. energy potential: However, President Trump’s lifting of the previous administration’s LNG export permit ban “could pave the way for almost 100 million metric tons per annum of additional LNG by 2031,” according to another Reuters (subscription) piece. 

• U.S. LNG exports are forecast to grow, potentially getting up to 180 million tons annually by 2030 and making up one-third of global supply.
• By 2035, the U.S. and Qatar could provide about 60% of global LNG supply.