Global natural gas demand reached an all-time high in 2025, climbing to 4,202 billion cubic meters. Demand grew by 69 billion cubic meters, more than the 52 billion cubic meter rise in supply. The International Gas Union and Snam reported the figures in their Global Gas Report 2026, finding that demand rose 1.7 percent from 2024 while supply increased by 52 billion cubic meters to 4,147 billion cubic meters.
Asia drives demand surge
Asia led the global growth with a 25 billion cubic meters increase in demand, followed by the Middle East with an 18 billion cubic meter rise. Europe’s demand climbed 10 billion cubic meters, driven by cold winter conditions at the beginning of the year and low wind energy production that pushed natural gas consumption for electricity generation higher. North America saw a 5 billion cubic meter increase, the net of three moves: residential and commercial consumption up 21 billion cubic meters and industrial use up 2 billion, against an 18 billion cubic meter fall in demand for power generation.
Turkey’s demand grew by 4 billion cubic meters. The Middle East’s 18 billion cubic meter increase reflected particularly strong industrial and electricity sector demand, with industrial consumption rising by 15 billion cubic meters at a 9.5 percent rate.
Supply and liquefied trade
Global LNG trade reached 580 billion cubic meters in 2025, an increase of 43 billion cubic meters from 2024. China, the world’s largest LNG importer, saw its purchases fall by 10 billion cubic meters from the prior year. Japan imported 91 billion cubic meters and South Korea 67 billion cubic meters. Europe’s LNG imports surged 32 billion cubic meters, reflecting a structural shift away from Russian pipeline gas toward liquefied supplies, with the United States supplying more than 50 percent of Europe’s LNG imports.
North America accounted for 54 billion cubic meters of the global supply increase, while the Middle East contributed 11 billion cubic meters and Asia 6 billion cubic meters. The report projects global natural gas demand will decrease by 7 billion cubic meters in 2026, with the Strait of Hormuz crisis expected to cut demand in the first half of the year, particularly in price-sensitive markets such as developing Asia and Africa.
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Source: The International Gas Union and Snam
