More than 16,000 delegates, executives and industry experts from over 80 countries gathered in Doha, Qatar, on 2–5 February for LNG2026, the 21st edition of a flagship conference for the global natural gas industry.
The conference was marked by a renewed sense of conviction in the long-term role of natural gas in the energy transition, and in the critical role the fuel will play in delivering secure and affordable energy to meet growing global demand, supported by a shift towards more pragmatic rather than aspirational energy planning by policymakers. The prevailing tone at the conference was that the industry has deepened its sense of purpose and direction.
Still, many speakers also highlighted areas of concern. While there is confidence that sufficient supply will be available to meet demand in the coming years, uncertainty remains over how quickly that new supply will be absorbed and the extent to which AI will drive further growth in energy consumption.
There were also calls for the industry not to slip into complacency. Although supply growth is set to outpace demand growth starting this year, putting downward pressure on prices, investment in additional production must continue to avoid a supply crunch in the 2030s. Furthermore, while natural gas offers significant sustainability advantages — displacing coal in power generation and providing reliable baseload supply to support greater deployment of intermittent renewables — the industry must strengthen its advocacy efforts to better communicate these benefits to policymakers and the wider public.
Heightened geopolitical tensions have further reinforced the importance of energy security, while policy uncertainty — whether in the form of tariffs that risk undermining economic growth or restrictions on hydrocarbon development — creates additional challenges that the gas industry must navigate.
Key messages
At the conference’s opening session, Mel Ydreos, Secretary General of the International Gas Union, stressed that the industry had much to be proud of. Some speakers pointed to the sector’s resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic, when lockdowns, demand destruction, workforce constraints, and severe price volatility tested global gas supply chains. Others emphasised how LNG suppliers had stepped up to rapidly and significantly expand deliveries to energy starved Europe after 2022. Some noted the substantial progress the industry has made in recent years in reducing methane emissions and improving energy efficiency.
However, Ydreos urged the industry «not to be complacent.»
«Our industry’s success depends on constant innovation and optimisation, pushing the boundaries of what is feasible and possible,» he told delegates. The sector should also strengthen its advocacy, emphasising the role of gas—and LNG in particular—in bolstering energy security while reducing emissions.
«This should not just be with words, but with fact based evidence,» he said.
LNG2026 offers an opportunity to reflect not only on the industry’s progress to date, but also on the evolving role it will play in the global energy system. The conference serves as a platform to forge new collaborations and partnerships, and to exchange ideas on both the opportunities and challenges the sector faces in the years ahead.
The conference’s location in Doha was particularly f itting, he said, given that Qatar is preparing to launch the North Field East expansion project later this year, forming part of a significant wave of new LNG supply set to reach the market over the coming years.
‹‹We are on the cusp of a new wave of global supply—so it is fitting that we are in Qatar,›› Ydreos said, thanking QatarEnergy for its ‹‹tremendous organisational effort that exceeded every expectation.››
That new wave is the result of strong investment momentum in recent years and is likely to create a period in which new volumes become available faster than markets can absorb them. Yet few speakers expressed alarm, noting that the anticipated oversupply is increasingly viewed as manageable and that more affordable gas would stimulate incremental consumption over time, primarily through increased demand in Asia. Policy will play a key role in shaping future gas use, with some speakers urging policymakers in Southeast Asia not to revert to coal, given that natural gas in power generation results in significantly lower emissions. Sustained investment in new supply will enhance the competitiveness of gas, enabling it to outcompete coal on price.
A key unknown is the extent to which AI and supporting data centres will drive energy demand growth, and where that growth will materialise geographically. The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates that global electricity demand from data centres is set to more than double by 2030 to around 945 TWh—slightly higher than Japan’s entire current power consumption. However, more aggressive forecasts place consumption considerably higher by the end of the decade. Gas can play an important role in meeting this surge in energy demand, provided sufficient supply and infrastructure are developed.
A major policy challenge facing the industry is compliance with mandatory methane intensity requirements, such as those the EU will introduce in the coming years. While industry executives welcomed the EU’s leadership in addressing methane emissions, they stressed the importance of pragmatic policy that does not place certain suppliers at an undue disadvantage.
The industry, speakers said, remains committed to reducing operational emissions, focusing on solutions that are practical and implementable rather than merely aspirational. It also continues to support the development of low-carbon technologies, including carbon capture and storage, hydrogen and biofuels. Rather than replacing natural gas, these are solutions that can complement its continuing vital role in the global energy system.