EIA: global natural gas consumption doubled from 1980 to 2010
12 April 2012
The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports that between 1980 and 2010, global consumption of dry natural gas rose from 53 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) to 113 Tcf. Although consumption in North America saw the slowest regional growth in percentage terms (29%) from 1980 to 2010, the region accounted for more than 25% of the world’s natural gas consumption during all years in the period.
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| Natural gas consumption by region, 1980 to 2010. Source: EIA. Click to enlarge. |
The Middle East had the highest growth rate, increasing more than ten-fold from 1.3 Tcf in 1980 to 13.2 Tcf in 2010.
Unlike petroleum, trends in regional natural gas consumption and production are more similar because of the limited role played by inter-continental movements of natural gas, at least until recently. For example, global LNG shipments rose from 6.7 Tcf to 10.5 Tcf between 2005 and 2010, or 58%, according to BP’s Statistical Review of World Energy (2011 report). Between 2009 and 2010, global LNG shipments were up 23%.
Asia had the second-highest growth rate, increasing more than eight-fold from 2.2 Tcf to 19.2 Tcf over the three decades. By 2010, Asian natural gas demand approached the level of Europe and the Former Soviet Union.
Car sales and energy consumption are normally in close relationship with general economic growth of a country or region. Based on NG consumption, one can see the progressive shift from USA & EU to Asia, specially in the last 10 to 15 years.
While not as bad as coal and crude oil, the worldwide growth in NG consumption creates a huge increase in GHG. It will be another 100+ years before we have burned all three sources.
Posted by: HarveyD | 12 April 2012 at 05:21 PM
"The Middle East had the highest growth rate, increasing more than ten-fold from 1.3 Tcf in 1980 to 13.2 Tcf in 2010."
It depends on how you account for consumption. The huge Shell GTL plant in the middle east will use massive amounts of natural gas to create liquid fuels and lubricants.
Posted by: SJC | 12 April 2012 at 05:36 PM
NG is pushing coal out of electric power generation.
Just when they are poised to require glorious sacrifice and inflict sweet misery on the coal and power industries and send our electric rates through the roof, nature and free enterprise ruin everything.
Oh well, at least the coal industry is suffering.
Posted by: ToppaTom | 12 April 2012 at 10:54 PM
Natural gas combined cycle power plants are cleaner and more efficient than standard coal fired power plants. Then you have the governor of Texas wanting to fast track 10 new coal plants...never mind.
Posted by: SJC | 13 April 2012 at 12:22 PM
He was afraid Obama would beat him to it.
Posted by: ToppaTom | 14 April 2012 at 12:29 AM
That sort of troll for response comment makes no sense. President Obama is for using coal more responsibly, for developing it by not blowing mountain tops off and polluting rivers.
We can use coal to generate electric power without raping the land and polluting our environment, it is a more balanced approach than the all or nothing at all recklessness that has permeated political ranting.
Posted by: SJC | 14 April 2012 at 08:58 AM
By ranting do you mean the talk like blowing mountain tops off, raping the land and polluting our environment and all or nothing at all recklessness that has permeated the political discourse?
Posted by: ToppaTom | 14 April 2012 at 04:09 PM