Europe’s gas pivot and Asian demand boost global midstream
Europe has been hastily building out LNG and pipeline capacity since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, while demand is rising in Asia
Global midstream markets continue to face near-term headwinds and economic uncertainties, but Europe’s rapid transition from Russian energy and projected higher demand in Asia continue to drive midstream expansion in those regions and those that supply them. While macro trends continue to favour growth in gas demand and infrastructure development, several factors have combined to depress pricing and threaten production growth during a period of shifting global trade. A milder-than-expected winter and unprecedented European conservation efforts have led to high gas storage levels in both Europe and the US, contributing to a significant sell-off in gas prices during the first half of the year.
Also in this section
9 March 2026
Petroleum Economist analysis sees increases in output from Saudi Arabia, Venezuela and Kazakhstan among others before region’s murky descent
9 March 2026
Energy sanctions are becoming an increasingly prominent tool of US foreign policy, with the country’s growth in oil and gas production allowing it to impose pressure on rivals without jeopardising its own energy security or that of its allies, argues Matthew McManus, a visiting fellow at the National Center for Energy Analytics
6 March 2026
The March 2026 issue of Petroleum Economist is out now!
6 March 2026
After Europe’s rapid buildout of floating LNG import capacity, Exmar CEO Carl-Antoine Saverys says future growth in floating gas infrastructure will increasingly be driven by developing markets as lower prices, rising energy demand and the need to replace coal unlock new opportunities for unconventional and tailor-made solutions






