MOSCOW, January 23. /TASS/. Growth in global trade in liquefied natural gas (LNG) reached 6.7% in 2025 and could hit its fastest pace since 2019 in 2026, exceeding 7%, according to a report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) on the gas market.
LNG trade volumes in 2025 increased by 6.7% (or 37 bln cubic meters), marking a clear acceleration compared with the more moderate average annual growth of less than 3% (or about 14 bln cubic meters) over the previous five years, the report said. According to experts, with the launch of new liquefaction projects, especially in North America, the next long-awaited wave of LNG supply began to enter the market in 2025, helping to ease tight conditions in the global gas market that emerged after the sharp drop in supply in 2022-2023.
In the first half of 2025, supplies remained relatively constrained. However, in the second half of the year, growth in global LNG supplies accelerated to 10% (or 28 bln cubic meters), gradually improving market conditions and leading to lower prices.
In addition, global LNG production in 2025 increased by nearly 7% (or 38 bln cubic meters), with about three-quarters of that growth occurring in the second half of the year. The Plaquemines LNG plant in Louisiana alone accounted for more than 60% of the increase in LNG supplies over the past year.
The IEA also expects that in 2026, growth in global LNG supply will reach its fastest pace since 2019 and exceed 7% (or 42 bln cubic meters). The main driver of this growth will again be North America, which is projected to account for more than 85% of the increase in global LNG supplies in 2026.