Natural gas accounted for 39% of U.S. electricity generation in 2023. Global demand is projected to grow through 2026, yet long-term forecasts anticipate a sharp decline. This article presents the key statistics defining this pivotal energy source.
Key Takeaways
- 7.5% of the world’s final energy consumption in 2022 was supplied by natural gas
- The IEA estimates global natural gas demand will grow from 2022 levels through 2026 in its Stated Policies scenario
- In 2023, natural gas accounted for 39% of US electricity generation
- US EIA data show pipeline construction and replacement in 2023 included 13,000 miles of pipeline-related activity (aggregate) for regulated systems
- EIA reports US working gas storage capacity of 3,620 billion cubic feet (Bcf) as of 2024
- In 2023, the average US pipeline natural gas unaccounted-for gas (UFG) was 1.6% of delivered volumes, per EIA pipeline data
- In 2023, global LNG liquefaction capacity additions were on the order of 50 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) per Energy Institute analysis
- BP’s Statistical Review shows global production of natural gas at 4.0 trillion cubic meters in 2023
- The IEA LNG Market Report 2024 projects global LNG trade to reach 430 million tonnes in 2024
- Natural gas (including LNG and pipeline gas) provides more than 20% of total primary energy worldwide, according to BP’s Statistical Review
- In 2023, the Netherlands produced about 16 bcm of natural gas, per Ember/Natural gas supply series cited through ENTSOG balance reports
- The Henry Hub spot price averaged $3.65 per MMBtu in 2022
- Methane emissions from the oil and gas sector are estimated at about 3% of sector production value in the IEA’s 2023 analysis of methane emissions
- In 2022, the average methane intensity (kg CH4 per kg gas) for the global oil and gas sector was about 0.05% of production by mass (IEA methane intensity ranges)
- The US EPA estimates methane emissions from natural gas systems at about 6.7 million metric tons (MMT) CO2e in 2022
Natural gas still powers much of the world today, but demand and emissions ambitions are set to reshape it.
Related reading
01 · Category
Industry Trends5 stats
01
7.5% of the world’s final energy consumption in 2022 was supplied by natural gas
02
The IEA estimates global natural gas demand will grow from 2022 levels through 2026 in its Stated Policies scenario
03
In 2023, natural gas accounted for 39% of US electricity generation
04
In 2023, natural gas was 37% of total US energy consumption
05
In the IEA’s Net Zero Emissions by 2050 scenario, global natural gas demand falls to about half of 2022 levels by 2050
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
From an Industry Trends perspective, natural gas is projected to keep rising in demand through 2026 but then faces a sharp long term shift as the IEA expects global gas demand to fall to about half of 2022 levels by 2050 in its Net Zero scenario.
02 · Category
Performance & Reliability4 stats
01
US EIA data show pipeline construction and replacement in 2023 included 13,000 miles of pipeline-related activity (aggregate) for regulated systems
02
EIA reports US working gas storage capacity of 3,620 billion cubic feet (Bcf) as of 2024
03
In 2023, the average US pipeline natural gas unaccounted-for gas (UFG) was 1.6% of delivered volumes, per EIA pipeline data
04
Modern natural gas combined-cycle plants can achieve 60%+ electrical efficiency per US EPA’s AP-42 emission factor guidance context
Interpretation
Performance & Reliability Interpretation
For Performance and Reliability, US natural gas infrastructure appears robust in 2023 and 2024, with pipeline pipeline-related activity totaling 13,000 miles, average unaccounted-for gas held to 1.6% of delivered volumes, and working gas storage capacity reaching 3,620 Bcf as of 2024.
03 · Category
Production & Trade3 stats
01
In 2023, global LNG liquefaction capacity additions were on the order of 50 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) per Energy Institute analysis
02
BP’s Statistical Review shows global production of natural gas at 4.0 trillion cubic meters in 2023
03
The IEA LNG Market Report 2024 projects global LNG trade to reach 430 million tonnes in 2024
Interpretation
Production & Trade Interpretation
In the Production & Trade landscape, 2023’s scale of about 50 million tonnes per annum of new global LNG liquefaction capacity is set against roughly 4.0 trillion cubic meters of global natural gas production and an IEA projection for LNG trade to climb to 430 million tonnes in 2024, signaling strong momentum for expanding gas flows from producers to international markets.
More related reading
04 · Category
Market Size2 stats
01
Natural gas (including LNG and pipeline gas) provides more than 20% of total primary energy worldwide, according to BP’s Statistical Review
02
In 2023, the Netherlands produced about 16 bcm of natural gas, per Ember/Natural gas supply series cited through ENTSOG balance reports
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
Natural gas is a major global energy pillar, supplying over 20% of total primary energy worldwide, while the Netherlands alone produced about 16 bcm in 2023, underscoring strong market scale and relevance for this Market Size category.
05 · Category
Cost Analysis1 stats
01
The Henry Hub spot price averaged $3.65per MMBtu in 2022
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
In the Cost Analysis for natural gas, the Henry Hub spot price averaged $3.65 per MMBtu in 2022, indicating the year’s baseline price level for assessing fuel costs.
06 · Category
Environmental & Safety7 stats
01
Methane emissions from the oil and gas sector are estimated at about 3% of sector production value in the IEA’s 2023 analysis of methane emissions
02
In 2022, the average methane intensity (kg CH4 per kg gas) for the global oil and gas sector was about 0.05% of production by mass (IEA methane intensity ranges)
03
The US EPA estimates methane emissions from natural gas systems at about 6.7 million metric tons (MMT) CO2e in 2022
04
US EPA’s eGRID reports that average CO2 emissions rate for natural gas plants was about 0.84 metric tons per MWh in the most recent reporting years
05
In 2021, natural gas accounted for 35% of US electricity-related CO2 emissions reductions in the power sector compared with coal, per US EIA analysis
06
IEA reports that global gas flaring is reduced only gradually; 2022 flaring volume was still about 4 billion cubic meters per day
07
The US EPA estimates that leaking methane from natural gas systems contributes to about 2.0% of US greenhouse gas emissions (on a methane-to-CO2e basis in its inventory framing)
Interpretation
Environmental & Safety Interpretation
Environmental and Safety impacts from natural gas are being reduced but not eliminated, with methane emissions still estimated at about 3% of oil and gas production value in the IEA’s 2023 analysis and global gas flaring continuing at roughly 4 billion cubic meters per day in 2022.
report visual · Comparison
Natural gas’s role and outlook
Natural gas supplies a sizable share of energy today, while IEA scenarios point to demand growth in the near term but major decline by mid-century under net-zero pathways.
In the IEA’s Net Zero Emissions by 2050 scenario, global natural gas demand falls to about half of 2022 levels by 20502050
The IEA estimates global natural gas demand will grow from 2022 levels through 2026 in its Stated Policies scenario
2022
7.5% of the world’s final energy consumption in 2022 was supplied by natural gas
7.5%
source-verifiedember-climate.org · iea.org2050
Reference
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APA
Min-ji Park. (2026, February 13). Natural Gas Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/natural-gas-statistics
MLA
Min-ji Park. "Natural Gas Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/natural-gas-statistics.
Chicago
Min-ji Park. 2026. "Natural Gas Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/natural-gas-statistics.
Sources & references
22 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+16 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)