Feb 22, 2022 - Energy & Climate

Shell warns of tight liquified natural gas market

Ben Geman

Chart showing demand of liquified natural gas — Image courtesy of Shell

Liquefied natural gas markets grew last year amid increased U.S. exports and Chinese import growth, part of the wider worldwide gas demand recovery from COVID-19, per new Shell data.

The big picture: Global LNG trade grew by 6% over 2020, with Chinese imports rising almost 18%. Shell also confirms other analyses showing the U.S. moving past Qatar and Australia to become the world's largest annual exporter this year.

Threat level: It warns that more investment is needed as Asian demand keeps rising.

"The global LNG market is expected to remain tight in the near term, with a supply-demand gap forecast to emerge in the middle of the current decade," it states.

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Shell warns of tight liquified natural gas market

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