Where Does Natural Gas Fit in the Energy Strategy?

Today, natural gas supplies more than 20% of primary energy. As a component of energy supply, gas has advantages and disadvantages. Global consumption is just over 3 trillion cubic meters per year and global proved reserves represent more than 60 years production at that rate, with a potential resource base from conventional and unconventional reservoirs of several times that. Proved reserves have increased by 25% over the last decade. Natural gas is the cleanest of the hydrocarbon fuels; its carbon intensity in electricity generation is about half that of coal, and in power generation it is a versatile fuel for both baseload and dispatchable power.  Its abundance, relative cleanliness and versatility make it an ideal dispatchable complement to wind and solar as well as a bridge to future non-hydrocarbon energy sources. The further development and responsible use of natural gas resources will depend on a relatively stable commercial and regulatory environment in which significant resource and infrastructure investments can be made along with continued technology developments in extraction, utilization and carbon mitigation.