Shell Forecasts 65% Surge in Global LNG Demand by 2050 Maritime Activity Reports, Inc. June 30, 2026 © Mike Mareen / Adobe Stock Global liquefied natural gas demand is expected to rise by around 65% by 2050, driven largely by Asia as countries seek lower-emission alternatives to coal and data centres boost power demand, Shell said in an annual report on Tuesday. Global demand is likely to reach nearly 700 million metric tons a year by that date, the world's largest trader of the superchilled fuel said in its 2026 LNG Outlook. LNG trade, which reached 422 million tons in 2025, had been set to increase in 2026, it added. However, severe disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz has shut in around one-fifth of global monthly LNG supply since the Middle East conflict began. As a result, global LNG trade in 2026 could be similar to last year's level if shipping through the strait returns to normal this summer, before returning to growth in 2027, Shell said. "The conflict created a system-wide shock with disruption cascading across all segments of the economy, but the LNG industry has proved resilient and able to adapt to changing market conditions," Cederic Cremers, Shell's president of integrated gas, said in the report. The company said recent growth in LNG supply and regasification infrastructure had improved market resilience and helped limit the impact of the disruption to shipping through Hormuz. In addition, the ramp-up of new liquefaction facilities in North America, improved performance at existing plants and slower Asian LNG imports have helped offset reduced supply from the Middle East. The U.S.-Israeli war on Iran has disrupted the global LNG outlook, driving up prices, damaging Qatar's export facilities and delaying new supply, casting doubt on demand from price-sensitive Asian buyers. Analysts expect higher prices to curb South Asian demand, with buyers turning to alternative LNG sources or switching to coal and domestic gas. Asian LNG imports for