Natural Gas Statistics
Detailed and comprehensive annual data on natural gas supply, demand and trade
The IEA’s Natural Gas Information includes detailed and comprehensive annual data of natural gas supply, demand and trade up to 2017, with provisional data for 2018. For OECD countries, it also contains data of gas consumption by end-use sector up to 2017 and of import and end-use prices up to 2018. The IEA also releases free monthly data on natural gas for OECD countries and provides a Monthly Gas Data Service.
Data service Purchase Natural Gas Information Free overview Documentation
Production
In 2018, global natural gas production hit a new record of 3937 Billion cubic metres, a 4.0% increase compared to 2017.
In fact, natural gas production has been rising since the economic crisis of 2009 with a compound annual growth rate of 2.8%.
Region OECD Non-OECD Europe / Eurasia Middle East Asia (including China) Africa Non-OECD Americas 1973 876.229 273.216 25.38823 17.846117 9.727192 22.093613 1974 867.247 299.101 26.240363 23.240464 10.163994 22.346879 1975 833.689 330.621 28.452371 26.652415 11.946799 22.460143 1976 843.457 366.721 30.49586 31.422759 13.791956 23.545759 1977 857.046 394.469 33.564242 38.400386 14.206092 25.212452 1978 861.892 421.585 32.174216 47.590377 18.76227 25.962952 1979 898.54 455.048 37.933272 53.306915 26.674603 29.423402 1980 889.704 485.155 37.835208 59.304336 22.634939 31.881024 1981 879.751 513.678 44.73894 58.316544 24.345734 32.497495 1982 829.331 548.733 47.720286 61.097357 29.981753 35.540579 1983 782.274 581.637 47.497866 69.154942 40.566644 37.972404 1984 831.643 630.323 54.822206 83.174076 41.961785 41.491993 1985 818.89 683.438 58.133695 89.216991 46.703404 42.545058 1986 796.261 726.847 68.99725 98.041591 49.533706 46.216377 1987 825.442 765.888 75.697583 106.25506 54.345255 47.273491 1988 841.081 808.632 83.922488 113.373877 57.08957 50.996828 1989 860.757 830.747 95.723837 120.917301 63.813817 54.151499 1990 881.399068 831.166 91.089564 131.989019 67.031076 55.778949 1991 903.419124 825.588 96.225248 146.152541 72.907562 57.60807 1992 921.581648 788.635 103.093521 153.674303 76.18493 58.888432 1993 958.065317 775.139 114.470024 161.618772 78.893617 59.872922 1994 995.171067 730.707 129.520328 173.016899 75.062405 62.502467 1995 1009.646159 721.225 139.005633 184.260505 82.240381 66.937329 1996 1063.115217 726.15 143.485438 200.753613 87.029272 73.815243 1997 1067.461784 679.208 157.831357 217.363862 97.600428 77.701084 1998 1072.994059 696.736 166.835946 221.597142 102.764594 83.249069 1999 1083.500565 709.896 183.097372 238.665012 116.115818 86.611276 2000 1110.186185 725.549 196.247288 248.388737 124.188599 99.095755 2001 1130.165807 728.05 213.309077 250.152218 129.231344 99.321598 2002 1121.505541 746.548 232.234078 268.943822 133.970245 109.011076 2003 1123.895661 778.316 248.660252 289.02896 148.220607 121.599712 2004 1121.295754 795.719 274.383067 309.267998 156.578522 131.655302 2005 1103.698413 811.848 300.350354 330.926018 188.207289 134.053964 2006 1121.374106 828.676 326.167958 342.883202 198.500484 143.349954 2007 1132.315252 838.677 351.912398 361.945095 211.352949 145.983726 2008 1169.207443 866.107 381.77021 380.962455 217.834742 148.944062 2009 1155.355671 761.391 401.022789 398.286195 202.984729 146.379584 2010 1180.89131 842.142 463.348052 427.648295 210.57699 158.976844 2011 1204.007104 881.767 493.242704 428.098313 204.792455 163.705054 2012 1230.830202 872.659 518.139904 427.130892 212.973775 169.933697 2013 1240.313859 898.563 544.681649 442.858758 200.226426 175.006322 2014 1278.035233 874.758 558.787952 459.43299 201.159979 178.161963 2015 1304.78165 874.081 579.088865 461.888022 199.870541 176.202449 2016 1318.590661 868.705562 600.147572 462.685414 213.306829 175.435771 2017 1358.950966 926.107173 627.217522 464.316309 233.087318 175.560745 2018p 1453.645972 950.921218 644.602 472.56 239.549141 175.943854
{
"chart":{"type":"area","height":"45%"},
"plotOptions":{"series":{"stacking":"normal","marker":{"enabled":false}}},
"title":{"text":"World natural gas production by region"},
"yAxis":{"reversedStacks":false,"title":{"text":"Billion cubic meters"}},
"xAxis":{"tickPositions":[0,7,13,19,25,31,38,45], "type":"category"},
"tooltip":{"shared":true,"valueDecimals":0,"valueSuffix":" bcm"}
}
Within the OECD, the United States had the greatest relative increase in production at 11.5%.
Australia and Canada continue to experience growth, with Canada remaining the 4th largest global producer.
Meanwhile, production in the Netherlands is gradually declining due to commitments to reduce the exploitation of the Groningen field, and after three years of continued increase, Norway's production declined by 2.1% in 2018.
United States Canada Norway Netherlands United Kingdom Australia Rest of the OECD 1960 343.492 14.151 0 0.396 0.073 0 14.021 1961 353.191 17.893 0 0.536 0.079 0 16.491 1962 370.053 24.473 0 0.589 0.114 0.001 18.253 1963 392.459 26.534 0 0.686 0.152 0.003 19.703 1964 411.655 29.587 0 0.951 0.171 0.003 21.722 1965 425.381 32.237 0 1.879 0.179 0.004 33.619 1966 456.175 34.664 0 3.634 0.173 0.004 36.299 1967 516.988 38.128 0 7.483 0.623 0.004 37.687 1968 550.133 43.302 0 14.991 2.198 0.006 43.643 1969 562.482 50.293 0 23.257 5.252 0.254 52.699 1970 594.793 57.801 0 33.503 11.253 1.441 59.715 1971 611.652 62.943 0 46.271 18.7 2.146 65.339 1972 612.043 70.682 0 61.726 26.983 3.092 71.416 1973 615.085 75.341 0 75.064 29.21 4.048 77.481 1974 586.3 72.726 0.014 89.031 35.236 4.636 79.304 1975 544.476 74.499 0.195 95.898 36.681 5.018 76.922 1976 540.539 74.395 0.327 102.703 38.962 5.365 81.166 1977 542.396 78.285 2.973 102.278 40.71 6.763 83.641 1978 541.234 75.17 14.759 93.657 38.984 7.252 90.836 1979 556.563 82.228 21.581 98.835 39.354 8.236 91.743 1980 553.539 78.118 25.973 96.214 37.457 8.852 89.551 1981 547.885 75.592 26.162 89.315 37.586 10.353 92.858 1982 506.692 77.097 25.534 76.034 38.464 11.418 94.092 1983 457.522 72.528 25.831 80.785 39.726 11.939 93.943 1984 495.374 78.911 27.375 81.54 38.628 12.478 97.337 1985 467.27 86.123 26.699 85.203 43.104 13.101 97.39 1986 455.849 81.029 28.102 78.147 45.206 14.611 93.317 1987 470.844 87.872 29.511 78.369 47.553 15.073 96.22 1988 484.687 101.21 29.778 69.253 45.787 15.708 94.658 1989 493.41 105.534 30.745 75.696 44.88 16.154 94.338 1990 506.604 109.071 27.642 76.087 49.672 20.475 91.848068 1991 503.18 115.051 27.425 86.025 56.783 21.311 93.644124 1992 507.206 126.196 29.419 86.392 55.627 22.789 93.952648 1993 514.353 138.646 28.867 88.065 65.514 24.46 98.160317 1994 534.618 150.05 30.927 83.539 69.652 26.404 99.981067 1995 528.275 159.205 31.449 84.926 75.539 29.26 100.992159 1996 533.665 165.114 41.294 96.114 90 30.148 106.780217 1997 536.669 168.016 46.727 85.126 91.605 29.908 109.410784 1998 535.711 173.026 47.598 81.2 95.549 31.054 108.856059 1999 534.546 176.241 50.99 75.507 105.115 31.613 109.488565 2000 544.335 181.673 53.293 73.621 115.386 32.819 109.059185 2001 556.472 186.003 57.664 77.563 111.277 33.561 107.625807 2002 536.394 187.279 69.358 76.21 109.211 34.97 108.083541 2003 541.222 184.088 77.115 72.848 108.52 34.105 105.997661 2004 526.804 183.635 80.958 85.925 101.655 34.28 108.038754 2005 511.486 187.99 86.946 78.387 92.805 35.84 110.244413 2006 524.295 188.324 89.276 77.39 83.889 42.701 115.499106 2007 545.88 183.032 91.574 74.391 76.074 45.301 116.063252 2008 571.121 174.082 104.66 85.076 73.393 47.2 113.675443 2009 584.336 162.094 108.863 78.587 61.323 49.469 110.683671 2010 603.857 156.304 110.353 90.305 57.941 52.651 109.48031 2011 648.758 157.737 105.75 83.382 46.364 56.398 105.618104 2012 680.796 156.282 119.164 82.069 39.647 54.017 98.855202 2013 685.677 157.456 113.155 86.872 37.35 62.404 97.399859 2014 733.431 164.102 112.877 72.451 38.766 63.35 93.058233 2015 766.524 164.966 121.278 55.043059 40.48 67.501 88.989591 2016 755.264 176.978 120.598 53.139324 41.694 83.597 87.320337 2017 773.301 182.875 128.216 46.280553 42.142 103.061 83.075413 2018p 861.925 189.965974 125.544 38.718703 40.834052 117.852 78.806243
{
"chart":{"type":"area","height":"55%"},
"plotOptions":{"series":{"stacking":"normal","marker":{"enabled":false}}},
"title":{"text":"Natural gas production in the OECD"},
"yAxis":{"reversedStacks":false,"title":{"text":"Billion cubic meters"}},
"xAxis":{"tickPositions":[0,10,20,30,40,50,58], "type":"category"},
"tooltip":{"shared":true,"valueDecimals":0,"valueSuffix":" bcm"}
}
Demand
In 2018, global demand for natural gas increased by 4.9% compared to 2017, rising to 3922 Billion cubic metres. This was the ninth consecutive year of increase.
OECD countries saw an increase in demand of 4.5%, though this came entirely from the OECD Americas driven by the United States and Canada. Demand for natural gas also increased by 5.3% in non-OECD countries.
The rest of the world has experienced a strong average annual growth rate of natural gas consumption at 7.7% over the last 20 years. This trend has been even stronger in China, where the average increse rate was 13.3% per year over the same period.
OECD Non-OECD Europe/Eurasia Middle East Asia (including China) Africa non-OECD Americas 1973 867.812 287.57 17.298282 13.691118 3.644178 21.996512 1974 874.485 304.621 17.766612 16.911166 3.99493 22.316287 1975 841.371 321.304 19.550475 19.061144 4.655556 22.56498 1976 877.872 346.288 21.859666 21.391694 5.03227 24.088263 1977 884.125 366.321 24.334262 25.183319 6.05221 25.854716 1978 904.363 387.035 25.691108 30.237595 8.165213 26.742648 1979 947.85 406.101 32.935482 33.065379 11.118495 29.447034 1980 938.982 434.509 35.220446 34.612901 14.081517 31.824189 1981 924.427 464.391 42.103701 34.84726 15.945388 32.687928 1982 882.934 498.899 44.740284 37.353313 18.829629 35.843481 1983 862.706 531.884 45.087919 40.928479 21.782404 37.959219 1984 924.769 571.651 51.965943 45.59041 22.295279 41.339721 1985 925.565 614.447 55.02372 51.23128 24.671376 42.395958 1986 900.701 652.366 66.365985 57.123657 27.816763 46.27133 1987 942.986 688.856 73.178949 63.600642 28.500626 47.392119 1988 972.442 718.76 81.113671 68.061319 30.242958 51.181989 1989 1013.263 752.863 92.975177 73.518374 33.239651 54.115003 1990 1039.056975 756.251 86.34084 83.632007 35.385709 54.50271 1991 1074.948051 760.678 90.614488 94.665518 37.769892 56.948899 1992 1090.755447 718.348 99.837717 101.321195 39.48376 58.265205 1993 1133.040593 686.746 111.718436 107.473279 42.611554 59.079517 1994 1160.06082 635.412 125.800527 119.787767 43.149015 61.361065 1995 1217.90803 608.313 132.554582 129.267664 44.675519 66.57927 1996 1281.713515 606.169 136.779137 139.06575 45.857878 75.456906 1997 1312.216311 579.281 147.583148 153.931719 48.461603 78.565294 1998 1318.879391 577.037 157.086023 162.557679 49.639536 83.01296 1999 1356.44679 591.407 167.637516 173.367011 54.843538 83.629171 2000 1408.970594 594.477 174.297926 182.475218 57.019455 90.281162 2001 1392.246316 601.543 186.035481 197.30202 64.682494 91.240316 2002 1431.815344 606.6 201.353697 211.265803 69.30964 95.270315 2003 1444.200071 634.836 213.932308 231.534122 76.227711 102.683803 2004 1469.065447 643.823 233.974159 251.81676 79.677106 111.064914 2005 1479.67168 650.264 253.615531 271.918088 90.334688 116.954423 2006 1483.922186 659.949 276.252218 293.41218 95.532816 121.946933 2007 1540.525588 672.096 299.653285 312.891554 101.912326 126.151324 2008 1558.627344 675.135 328.183582 336.847427 104.131748 138.068116 2009 1513.777108 620.32 338.428749 358.938651 101.951082 133.334239 2010 1618.168888 676.733 369.043726 416.867717 107.300077 147.922304 2011 1614.180951 697.001 389.996049 419.784595 116.089521 142.736088 2012 1646.66953 689.17 408.257059 436.23686 123.015831 151.930829 2013 1660.275228 674.063 417.184166 463.219854 122.75009 158.512471 2014 1630.80822 666.763 442.629352 485.488611 124.179313 164.460067 2015 1658.290581 634.63216 470.77583 498.166378 131.905379 166.475979 2016 1702.867026 631.924309 489.240786 520.426024 140.839725 159.766468 2017 1726.069045 648.08886 511.390296 548.520565 147.646938 158.006309 2018p 1803.020772 677.76051 527.989 601.4632 153.874861 159.235546
{
"chart":{"type":"area","height":"45%"},
"plotOptions":{"series":{"stacking":"normal","marker":{"enabled":false}}},
"title":{"text":"World natural gas demand by region"},
"yAxis":{"reversedStacks":false,"title":{"text":"Billion cubic meters"}},
"xAxis":{"tickPositions":[0,7,13,19,26,32,38,45], "type":"category"},
"tooltip":{"shared":true,"valueDecimals":0,"valueSuffix":" bcm"}
}Prices
LNG prices continued to converge, with the prices of LNG imports for the United States, the European Union, Japan and Korea all increasing in 2018.
These price trends are a reflection of the relative positions of different regions in the LNG market, with the United States being a net exporter of natural gas for the third consecutive year.
Japan and Korea European Union Member States United States 2010 11.02 6.38 4.78 2011 13.13 7.60 5.47 2012 16.74 9.57 4.18 2013 16.02 10.59 6.64 2014 16.34 8.83 8.48 2015 10.48 6.55 7.22 2016 7.02 4.78 3.95 2017 8.13 5.45 4.41 2018 9.32 6.79 6.01
{
"title":{"text":"LNG import prices"},
"chart":{"type":"line","height":"55%"},
"yAxis":{"title":{"text":"US dollars/million BTU"}},
"tooltip":{"shared":true,"valueDecimals":1,"valueSuffix":" USD dollars/million BTU"},
"plotOptions":{"line":{"marker":{"enabled":false}}}
}