Survey of Energy Resources 2007 Assets for Future Gas Market
Growth Less-energy-intensive economies, stringent pressures to
reduce the environmental impact of fossil fuels, and political
and fiscal measures to increase the share of renewable energy in
the global energy mix, have gradually combined to alter the
growth prospects of each of the primary energies, and,
consequently, their respective weight in the energy balance.
Although natural gas is a flexible energy, ideally adapted to a
number of uses, these ongoing developments are undoubtedly
influencing its future growth potential, particularly in the
OECD countries. Nevertheless, while recent years have seen a
globally downward revision of growth prospects for energy
demand, natural gas is still the fossil fuel with the strongest
potential. Several factors underlie a presumption of steady
growth in gas demand of the order of 2% p.a. on average between
now and 2020. With anticipated consumption of about 3 850 bcm by
then, natural gas would accordingly acco