Global gas exporting countries 2023

The United States was the world’s leading exporter of natural gas in 2023, exporting 89.1 billion cubic meters of gas via pipelines and 114.4 billion cubic meters of liquefied natural gas (LNG). Russia was the second-largest natural gas exporter globally, followed by Qatar and Norway. 

Pipeline vs LNG exports

Among other top natural gas exporters, Canada is one of only two countries relying exclusively on pipelines. Pipelines are considered the safest means of transporting gaseous fuels, however, their use is often limited to shorter distances over land. As such, the United States is Canada's only direct trading partner for natural gas. Pipelines are also the most common form of moving gas across the European continent, with the majority of Russian natural gas exports ending in European consumer markets. LNG on the other hand is mostly used in inter-continental exports to destinations far removed from large-scale producing sites. Japan, China, and South Korea make up more than half of the LNG import market share worldwide.

Natural gas liquefaction

When pipeline transport is not feasible, natural gas is liquified to be transported over long distances. During this process, natural gas is cooled down to minus 160 degrees Celsius, which results in a reduction of its volume by around 600-fold. Natural gas was first transported in its liquid stage in the late 1950s. In 2023, the United States was the country with the largest operating LNG export capacity worldwide, Australia came in second place. Also, the country with the leading LNG export capacity under development was United States.