LNG Geopolitics
How liquefied natural gas created a global gas market, reshaped energy security in Europe and Asia, and became a tool of foreign policy.
Gas Goes Global
Natural gas was once a regional commodity, locked to pipelines connecting producers directly to consumers. Liquefied natural gas changed that by cooling methane to -162 degrees Celsius, shrinking its volume 600-fold, and loading it onto specialized tankers. This allowed gas to be shipped anywhere with a receiving terminal, creating for the first time a truly global gas market.
Global LNG trade grew from about 100 million tonnes in 2000 to over 400 million tonnes by 2023. Qatar, Australia, and the United States emerged as the three largest exporters. The number of LNG-importing countries grew from 10 in 2000 to over 40 by 2023, as nations from Pakistan to Thailand to Poland built import terminals to diversify their energy supplies.
