Natural gas still not getting through in Europe
Coal still beats natural gas in many European markets, notably Germany. This makes no sense, says Wintershall chief executive Mario Mehren
It was supposed to be simple: gas would be the bridging fuel—the relatively clean hydrocarbon that underpinned the EU's transition to a bright renewables-led future. But the reality has proved more complex, with political disputes hampering prospects for further Russian pipeline supply and energy policy designed to promote renewables failing to curb the use of more-polluting coal. Yet the case for gas remains overwhelming, according to Mario Mehren, chief executive of German-based producer Wintershall, a subsidiary of BASF. Both EU domestic gas and piped volumes from Russia, Norway and North Africa, (complemented by liquefied natural gas from wherever is cheapest) will provide the continent
Also in this section
9 January 2026
The Latin American producer’s crude prospects rely on a multi-pronged approach where even the relatively easy wins will take considerable time, effort and cost
9 January 2026
While many forecasters are reasserting the importance of oil and gas, petrostates should be under no illusion things are changing, and faster than they might think
8 January 2026
Indonesia and Malaysia are at the dawn of breathtaking digital capabilities. Their energy infrastructure must keep up with their ambitions
8 January 2026
The next five years will be critical for the North Sea, and it will be policy not geology that will decide the basin’s future
