Natural Gas

Energy Mix

25% of world 🌎 (#3 resource)
36% of U.S. 🇺🇸 (#2 resource)

Electricity Generation

22% of world 🌎 (#2 resource)
43% of U.S. 🇺🇸 (#1 resource)

Global NG Uses

Electricity: 40%
Heat (industrial): 25%*
Heat (buildings): 21%**
Oil and Natural Gas Production: 10%
Transportation: 4%***

Change in Global Consumption

Increase:
⬆ 6%
(2019-2024)

22% of world 🌎
38% of U.S. 🇺🇸
energy GHG emissions are from natural gas
(includes methane leakage)

Energy GHG emissions are ~75% of global GHG emissions.

Global Warming Potential of Methane

80x more potent than CO₂ over 20 years

27-30x over 100 years

Methane only lasts about 12 years in the atmosphere but is very potent.

Methane Leakage from Natural Gas and Petroleum Systems

4%
of US GHG emissions

% of Natural Gas that is Leaked

The EPA cites US leakage at ~1.5% (could be higher). In key production regions (Permian) it may be as high as 9%.

Recent studies have shown that as little as 0.2% to 3% leakage puts natural gas on par with coal for climate change impact.

Largest Proved Reserves

Russia 20% 🇷🇺
of global proved reserves

Largest Producer

U.S. 26% 🇺🇸
of global production

Largest Consumer

U.S. 22% 🇺🇸
of global consumption

Largest Proved Reserves

Texas 30%
of U.S. proved reserves

Largest Producer

Texas 27%
of U.S. production

Largest Consumer

Texas 15%
of U.S. consumption

Amount Traded

23%
of global production

59% as LNG*, 41% by pipeline

Largest Exporter

U.S. 23% 🇺🇸
of global exports

Largest LNG* Exporters

U.S. 21% 🇺🇸, Qatar 20% 🇶🇦, Australia 20% 🇦🇺

Largest Importer

Europe 30%
of global imports

Largest LNG* Importers

China 18% 🇨🇳, Japan 16% 🇯🇵

Drivers

• Abundant and growing availability: ongoing innovation in extraction drives down costs and increases available resources
• Versatile: many uses, including many forms of heat (for buildings and industrial processes) and electricity generation
• Feasible to transport via pipeline or LNG tankers
• Relatively low private costs compared to other fossil fuels (but note that social and environmental costs are not factored into the price)
• Flexible/dispatchable for electricity generation: easy to ramp up and down based on needs of the electricity grid; critical for scaling renewables
• Potential “blue bridge to green future:" it's the lowest carbon fossil fuel and supports renewable energy integration
• No solid waste; lower SO₂ and NO_X than coal
• Methane and CO₂ monitoring solutions and reduction technologies emerging rapidly

Barriers

• Methane is a highly potent greenhouse gas; venting, leaking, and flaring need to be addressed or the future of natural gas is problematic
• Resource not evenly distributed around the world, raising concerns around geopolitics of supply and demand, energy security
• Lower energy density requires transportation infrastructure; pipeline and LNG gasification siting can be controversial
• Natural gas infrastructure requires reclamation and remediation at end of life

Climate Impact: Medium to High

• Lower CO₂ emissions intensity than coal or oil when combusted
• Methane leakage contributes to global warming, as methane is a potent greenhouse gas

Environmental Impact: Medium

• Extraction and pipelines disrupt natural habitats and pose risks to nearby human communities
• Potential thermal pollution of water from power plants
• Has very low emissions other than leakage, and it is enabling renewables and replacing coal

Updated February 2026