The world could be entering a 'golden age' of natural gas, according to research by energy policy adviser, the International Energy Agency (IEA), which predicts that gas could provide more than a quarter of global energy by 2035.
Gas is plentiful and widely spread geographically, which helps ease countries' concerns over energy security. The IEA's research shows that global resources exceed 250 years of current production and that each region of the world holds resources of at least 75 years of current consumption. But it has been the success of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing (to increase the flow of gas from tightly compressed reservoirs) in recent years that has made it possible to transform these vast resources into usable energy. This technology has transformed the US from the verge of needing to import gas just a few years ago to a substantial exporter of gas.
China and India are the key drivers of higher gas consumption as they seek to reduce the pollution caused by their rapid development. China has set out ambitious targets in its 12th five-year plan to switch from coal to gas, which is cleaner. The increased use of natural gas-powered buses and trucks in countries such as India will further boost demand.
Gas is also likely to benefit from curbed and cancelled nuclear programmes following the Fukushima disaster in Japan. However, while gas is the cleanest fossil fuel, it still emits more greenhouse gases than nuclear. A 'golden age' for gas may not coincide with a 'golden age' for the planet.
