BP Energy Review 2018

In 2017, gas trade expanded by 63 bcm, or 6.2%, with growth LNG outpacing growth in pipeline trade. The increase in gas exports was driven largely by Australian and US LNG (up by 17 and 13 bcm respectively), and Russian pipeline exports (15 bcm). LNG increased by over 10% in 2017, its strongest growth since 2010, aided by the start-up of new LNG trains in Australia and the US. China’s increased need for LNG accounted for almost half of the global expansion, with China overtaking Korea to be the world’s second largest importer of LNG after Japan. Source: BP