The future for natural gas is bright. Demand has experienced a strong post-crisis recovery, while the North American shale gas boom and expansion of LNG trade have made ample supplies available in the near-term and bolstered future gas supply prospects. With mounting concerns over energy security and global climate change, and renewed debate surrounding the future role of nuclear power, these developments merit a deeper investigation of the prospects for, and the implications of, a golden age of natural gas.
This special report in the World Energy Outlook 2011 series examines the key factors that could secure for natural gas a more prominent role in the global energy mix, and the implications for other fuels and climate change. It features a high-gas scenario, examining how natural gas supply and demand could respond to new impetus stemming from both market forces and government policies.
With benchmark data and projections at a regional and global level, the report provides insights into the:
- extent of the prospective growth in gas supply and demand;
- impact of increased natural gas use on demand for all competing energy sources;
- role natural gas could play in facilitating a low-carbon energy economy and in improving local air quality;
- way gas prices are evolving in different regional markets;
- geographic spread of gas resources;
- likely duration of the current gas glut; and
- implications for global gas trade and for gas-exporting countries.