Natural gas production in Australia 2010-2023

In 2023, natural gas production in Australia amounted to approximately 151.7 billion cubic meters. This marked a substantial increase from 46.7 billion cubic meters recorded in 2010, at the beginning of the measured period.

Abundance of gas resources

As a country with abundant natural resources, Australia is one of the ten largest producers of natural gas in the world. Within the country, most natural gas is produced in Western Australia, and the production has been overall rising in the last ten years. Consumption of natural gas in the country has remained steady, and the country makes a significant contribution to the global gas supply through exports. While Australian natural gas has been popular in the global market, the country’s bestseller is liquified natural gas (LNG).

Economy or climate targets?

Australia currently depends heavily on oil, coal, and natural gas for its primary energy consumption. Furthermore, the production and export of LNG have been increasing over the past years. The country’s largest independent oil and gas company, Woodside, is even looking to expand its gas field operations off the coast of Western Australia. However, this is in direct contradiction with the climate targets of the country, which have been enshrined by law. Almost half of Australians believe that the government’s actions on climate change are not sufficient. The future will show how the country is going to balance the wish for a growing oil and gas economy while trying to meet its environmental commitments at the same time.