Shell’s LNG Outlook 2025, released 25 February, hikes the major’s forecast of 2040 global LNG demand to 630-718mn tons, at its midpoint a hike of over 60% versus 2024’s 407mn tons. Though a record, last year’s annual increase of just 2mn tons was the lowest in a decade (MEES, 31 January).
However demand is set to surge in the coming years as a slew of new liquefaction projects in North America and Qatar come onstream (MEES, 3 January). Indeed, with demand growth likely to lag supply capacity additions from 2026 through to at least the end of the decade, most analysts expect a period of sustained low prices, though the good news in this for producers is that this should spur a new wave of import projects, locking in demand for decades to come. (CONTINUED - 324 WORDS)
