First decline in global gas consumption since 2009 (-1.4% in 2022), driven by the strong fall in Europe.

After a 4.8% increase in 2021, gas consumption declined by 1.4% in 2022, its first decrease since 2009, due to a lower gas demand in the EU, Russia, Brazil and China. In Europe, gas consumption fell by 12% (-13% in the EU, -14% in Türkiye and -7.5% in the UK), due to fears of supply disruptions in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, record-high gas prices, energy conservation policies (including industrial production curtailment measures) and mild temperatures. Gas consumption also decreased in Russia (-2.9%, due to Western sanctions hitting the Russian industrial sector), in Brazil (-23% as higher hydro availability cut gas-fired power generation) and in Asia (-1.6%). Higher LNG prices, coupled with the economic slowdown (lower industrial activity and zero-COVID policy), contributed to a 1.2% drop in China’s gas consumption, its first decline since 1992. In India, high LNG prices cut gas demand from the power, refining and petrochemical sectors (-5.9%). As well, gas consumption dipped by around 1% in both Japan and South Korea due to a lower demand from the power sector owing to surging gas prices in Japan and to the competition of nuclear and renewables in Korea. On the other hand, gas consumption increased significantly in North America (+5.4%, including +5.5% in the USA and +4.4% in Canada), in a context of higher gas production, economic growth and higher gas demand from the industrial and power sectors. It also rose in the Middle East (+2%), especially in Saudi Arabia (+4.7%, increased gas-fired power generation, water desalination and petrochemical production) and Kuwait (+7%).