MOSCOW, December 18. /TASS/. Global gas demand will not decline in coming 25-30 years, it will only rise due to a small carbon footprint, Russian Deputy Energy Minister Pavel Sorokin told a forum on Friday.

"Due to the fact that gas has the smallest carbon footprint we do not expect a decline in gas consumption in coming 25-30 years. We project it only to rise," he said.

The demand is largely expected to be satisfied by liquified natural gas (LNG).

"The LNG market is projected to grow by 200 mln tonnes in coming 15-17 years. That means that the gas market is not fully global so far, though it will be moving towards that," Sorokin said, adding that sharpening of competition is also expected on the market.