Iran and Qatar accounted for 5.7 per cent and 5.1 per cent respectively of the total natural gas global production of 186.9 trillion cu/m in 2015, according to the recently released 65th edition of the BP Statistical Review of World Energy
Overall, Middle East contributed 17.4 per cent to the global output as new sources came online, the report added.
Meanwhile, world natural gas consumption grew by 1.7 per cent in 2015, a significant increase from 0.6 per cent seen in 2014 but still below the 10-year average of 2.3 per cent, the report added. Also consumption growth at 1.9 per cent, last year, was below average outside the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), which accounted for a 53.5 per cent of global consumption.
Among emerging economies, Iran with 6.2 per cent recorded the largest increments to consumption. However, Russia recorded the largest volumetric decline of five per cent, followed by the Ukraine by 21.8 per cent. Among OECD countries, the USA accounted for the largest growth increment, while EU consumption, at four per cent, rebounded after a decline in 2014, the report added.
Globally, natural gas also accounted for 23.8 per cent of primary energy consumption and the production grew by 2.2 per cent, more rapidly than consumption but below its 10-year average of 2.4 per cent.
Natural gas growth was above average in North America, Africa and Asia Pacific but in EU production fell sharply by eight per cent.
In 2015, global LNG trade also increased by 1.8 per cent with the Middle East accounting for 93.8 per cent of the import share.
BP group executive Bob Dudley said, “The supply of energy in recent years has been driven by different factors, notably technological advances that have increased the range and availability of different fuels. The US shale revolution has unlocked huge swathes of oil and gas resources. And rapid technological gains have supported strong growth in renewable energy, led by wind and solar power. These advances meant that, despite the weakness of energy demand, oil, natural gas and renewable energy all recorded solid growth in 2015.”
