The world’s largest exporter of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in 2022 was the United States, with an export volume of 114.4 billion cubic meters. At that time, Qatar ranked second. LNG is natural gas that been made into a liquid by cooling to -260 degrees Fahrenheit/-162 degrees Celsius for shipping and storage purposes. LNG emerged in the 19th century so that it would be possible to transport natural gas through pipelines.
Global LNG trade
China was the world’s largest LNG importing country in 2023. In that year, the country imported around 97.8 billion cubic meters of liquefied natural gas. Following China was Japan, with imports amounting to 90.3 billion cubic meters in 2022. In 2022, the total global LNG trade volume amounted to 542 billion cubic meters.
Qatar’s natural gas industry
Qatar is a key player in the world supply of natural gas, in fact it has the world’s third largest conventional natural gas reserves. Most of their natural gas is found in the massive offshore North Field, an area that is about the size of Qatar itself. Qatar’s massive natural gas reserves amount to about 24.7 trillion cubic meters in 2020. Natural gas production in Qatar came about to about 177 billion cubic meters in 2021.
Leading exporting countries of liquefied natural gas worldwide in 2023
(in billion cubic meters)
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Energy Institute. (June 20, 2024). Leading exporting countries of liquefied natural gas worldwide in 2023 (in billion cubic meters) [Graph]. In Statista. Retrieved October 31, 2024, from https://www.statista.com/statistics/274528/major-exporting-countries-of-lng/
Energy Institute. "Leading exporting countries of liquefied natural gas worldwide in 2023 (in billion cubic meters)." Chart. June 20, 2024. Statista. Accessed October 31, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/274528/major-exporting-countries-of-lng/
Energy Institute. (2024). Leading exporting countries of liquefied natural gas worldwide in 2023 (in billion cubic meters). Statista. Statista Inc.. Accessed: October 31, 2024. https://www.statista.com/statistics/274528/major-exporting-countries-of-lng/
Energy Institute. "Leading Exporting Countries of Liquefied Natural Gas Worldwide in 2023 (in Billion Cubic Meters)." Statista, Statista Inc., 20 Jun 2024, https://www.statista.com/statistics/274528/major-exporting-countries-of-lng/
Energy Institute, Leading exporting countries of liquefied natural gas worldwide in 2023 (in billion cubic meters) Statista, https://www.statista.com/statistics/274528/major-exporting-countries-of-lng/ (last visited October 31, 2024)
Leading exporting countries of liquefied natural gas worldwide in 2023 (in billion cubic meters) [Graph], Energy Institute, June 20, 2024. [Online]. Available: https://www.statista.com/statistics/274528/major-exporting-countries-of-lng/