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Shell LNG Outlook 2024

Global demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG) is estimated to rise by more than 50% by 2040, as industrial coal-to-gas switching gathers pace in China and South Asian and South-east Asian countries use more LNG to support their economic growth.

Global trade in LNG reached 404 million tonnes in 2023, up from 397 million tonnes in 2022, with tight supplies of LNG constraining growth.

Explore the Shell LNG Outlook 2024

Download the Shell LNG Outlook 2024

The Outlook in full explores LNG supply and demand in 2023 and future emerging trends.

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Explore the key facts and figures from this years Outlook in our short video

Explore the key facts and figures from this years Outlook in our short video

Video transcript

Title: Shell LNG Outlook 2024

Duration: 2:02

[Background music plays]
Sound of Shell tracks starts to play throughout.

[Graphic Display]

Shell Pecten appears on screen with a plain white background.

[Text displayed]

Shell LNG Outlook 2024.

[Video footage]

Image of a ship out at sea appears with on screen text. Yellow and blue lines come in from the side of the screen, outlining the text.

[Voiceover]

Shell LNG Outlook 2024... an annual report that examines key trends in the global liquefied natural gas industry during the previous year and the emerging picture for future global supply and demand.

[Video footage]

The screen changes to show a close-up image of a lady wearing a hard hat and hi vis jacket. An animated illustration of a graph appears on screen. A solid white line appears with an arrow pointing to 2023 and a dotted white line with an arrow pointing to 2022 appears above it.

[Voiceover]

Gas and LNG prices stabilised during 2023 but limited new LNG supply has kept gas prices above historic averages.

[Video footage]

The screen changes to a landscape view of a ship docked in the background with a male and female dressed in hi vis and hard hats walking towards the ship.

Animated illustrations appear over the top of the image, 404 MT 2023 appears above the ship within a white arrowed box. A yellow line surrounds on screen text – 404MT in 2023.

[Text displayed]

404 MT 2023

[Voiceover]

Global trade in LNG reached 404 million tonnes in 2023,

[Video footage]

Animated illustrations appear over the top of the image, +7 MT 2022 appears above the ship within another white arrowed box.

[Text displayed]

+7 MT 2022

[Voiceover]

an increase of 7 million tonnes from 2022.

[Video footage]

The screen changes to an image of a bird’s eye view of diagonal pipes above the sea with the same male and female wearing hard hats and hi vis’.

[Text displayed]

CHINA growth 8%.

[Voiceover]

Chinese gas demand grew 8% despite a modest economic recovery, with China overtaking Japan to become the world’s largest LNG importer again.

[Video footage]

The screen changes to an image of a ship traveling through a river with greenery on the left-hand side.

Animated illustrations appear from the top left showing an arrow with a flame, and a globe behind the word ‘EUROPE’.

[Text displayed]

EUROPE

[Voiceover]

European gas use fell. But LNG continued to play a vital energy security role with Europe importing more than 120 million tonnes.

[Video footage]

The screen changes to another image of a ship in a river. There are people in hi vis’ and hard hats standing on the ship.

Animated illustrations appear on screen. A white arrow appears, coming out of the ship with an arrow and a flag icon in the middle.

Another animated illustration appears on screen. A yellow line animated around the words ‘growth to 2024’ and white arrow appears from the bottom of the ship with an LNG icon scaling from small to large.

[Text displayed]

Growth to 2040

[Voiceover]

Demand for natural gas has already peaked in some regions. But demand for LNG is set to continue growing beyond 2040.

[Video footage]

The screen changes to show a landscape of China, a large structural building appears with white animated illustrations appearing on the right-hand side. A white LNG icon and CO2 appears within white arrows.

[Text displayed]

CHINA.

[Voiceover]

China is set to drive demand for LNG this decade to meet industry needs.

[Video footage]

The screen changes to an image of a ship docking next to a field filled with solar panels. A white line animates through the solar panels and white icons of wind and solar appear on screen.

A yellow line appears on the top right of the screen, surrounding the words ‘24/7 power outlet’.

[Text displayed]

24/7 power outlet.

[Voiceover]

Gas provides the flexibility to balance increasing solar and wind generation around the world.

[Video footage]

The screen changes to a close-up image of a female wearing a heard hat and glasses. An animated illustration of an LNG Icon and factory icon appears on an arrow. As the arrow goes up the screen the on-screen text changes from 2022 to 2030.

[Text displayed]

2030

[Voiceover]

More LNG supply is expected this decade, notably from North America, but startup timings are uncertain.

[Video footage]

The screen changes to an image of a factory with a white illustration on the left-hand side. A white line appears and turns into a chart showing -30%.

[Text displayed]

USA

[Voiceover]

The USA is set to meet around 30% of total global LNG demand by 2030.

[Video footage]

The screen changes to an image of a large ship in the middle of the ocean. Animated illustrations appear on screen – A down arrow with the word ‘Declining’ and a flame icon. An up arrow with the word ‘Growing’ and an LNG icon.

[Text displayed]

South-East ASIA.

[Voiceover]

Declining domestic gas production and growing power demand set to drive more LNG imports to South-east Asia.

[Video footage]

The screen changes to a close-up image of the ship in the middle of the ocean. Blue and yellow lines appear surrounding the wording ‘Shell LNG Outlook 2024.’

[Text displayed]

Shell LNG Outlook 2024

To find out more, download the full report.

[Voiceover]

To find out more, download the full report.

Download the Shell LNG Outlook 2024

LNG - decarbonisation pathways

LNG - decarbonisation pathways

Click here to explore potential pathways to decarbonise LNG

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Frequently asked questions

What is the Shell LNG Outlook?

The Shell LNG Outlook is an annual report produced by Shell which focuses on the key trends in the global liquefied natural gas (LNG) market over the previous year and highlights key trends that are shaping the future market. The report is now in its eighth year.

Why is LNG important?

Many people in need of energy are located far from gas fields, making pipelines too impractical or costly to build. To get around this problem, natural gas can be cooled, shrinking its volume for easier, safer storage and shipping overseas. This cooled natural gas is LNG.

What proportion of natural gas demand is met by LNG?

In 2023, around 14% of global natural gas demand was met through LNG supplies.

How is Shell involved in LNG?

Shell is one of the leading LNG suppliers globally being involved in every stage of the value chain. We have a major interest in two regasification plants - Hazira in India and Dragon in the UK – and long-term access to capacity in several others in Europe, the Middle East and North America. Our trading operation buys and sells LNG to and from Shell, its partners and third parties.

Shell is also one of the world’s largest LNG shipping operators, managing and operating more than 18 carriers and with 65 on time-charter. Combined, these LNG carriers comprise around 11% of the global LNG shipping fleet.

How much LNG was traded globally in 2023?

In total, around 404 million tonnes of LNG was traded globally during 2023, an increase of around seven million tonnes from the previous year.

Which country imported the most LNG in 2023?

China again became the single largest importer of LNG in 2023, overtaking Japan. Following strict measures to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in 2022, it imported 72 million tonnes of LNG in 2023.

Which was the largest export country?

The USA was the largest exporters, shipping 86 million tonnes in 2023. Both Australia and Qatar also shipped 80 million tonnes.

Is there sufficient LNG supply to meet the demand?

During 2023 the global LNG market remained tight due to little additional LNG supply available. However, a mild winter, weaker gas demand in Europe and Japan and China’s modest economy recovery helped to balance the global LNG market.

Read previous LNG Outlooks

Cautionary note

The companies in which Shell plc directly and indirectly owns investments are separate legal entities. In this LNG Outlook “Shell”, “Shell Group” and “Group” are sometimes used for convenience where references are made to Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general. Likewise, the words “we”, “us” and “our” are also used to refer to Shell plc and its subsidiaries in general or to those who work for them. These terms are also used where no useful purpose is served by identifying the particular entity or entities. ‘‘Subsidiaries’’, “Shell subsidiaries” and “Shell companies” as used in this LNG Outlook refer to entities over which Shell plc either directly or indirectly has control. Entities and unincorporated arrangements over which Shell has joint control are generally referred to as “joint ventures” and “joint operations”, respectively. “Joint ventures” and “joint operations” are collectively referred to as “joint arrangements”. Entities over which Shell has significant influence but neither control nor joint control are referred to as “associates”. The term “Shell interest” is used for convenience to indicate the direct and/or indirect ownership interest held by Shell in an entity or unincorporated joint arrangement, after exclusion of all third-party interest.

Forward-Looking Statements

This LNG Outlook contains forward-looking statements (within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995) concerning the financial condition, results of operations and businesses of Shell. All statements other than statements of historical fact are, or may be deemed to be, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements of future expectations that are based on management’s current expectations and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results, performance or events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these statements. Forward-looking statements include, among other things, statements concerning the potential exposure of Shell to market risks and statements expressing management’s expectations, beliefs, estimates, forecasts, projections and assumptions. These forward-looking statements are identified by their use of terms and phrases such as “aim”, “ambition”, ‘‘anticipate’’, ‘‘believe’’, ‘‘could’’, ‘‘estimate’’, ‘‘expect’’, ‘‘goals’’, ‘‘intend’’, ‘‘may’’, “milestones”, ‘‘objectives’’, ‘‘outlook’’, ‘‘plan’’, ‘‘probably’’, ‘‘project’’, ‘‘risks’’, “schedule”, ‘‘seek’’, ‘‘should’’, ‘‘target’’, ‘‘will’’ and similar terms and phrases. There are a number of factors that could affect the future operations of Shell and could cause those results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements included in this Outlook, including (without limitation): (a) price fluctuations in crude oil and natural gas; (b) changes in demand for Shell’s products; (c) currency fluctuations; (d) drilling and production results; (e) reserves estimates; (f) loss of market share and industry competition; (g) environmental and physical risks; (h) risks associated with the identification of suitable potential acquisition properties and targets, and successful negotiation and completion of such transactions; (i) the risk of doing business in developing countries and countries subject to international sanctions; (j) legislative, judicial, fiscal and regulatory developments including regulatory measures addressing climate change; (k) economic and financial market conditions in various countries and regions; (l) political risks, including the risks of expropriation and renegotiation of the terms of contracts with governmental entities, delays or advancements in the approval of projects and delays in the reimbursement for shared costs; (m) risks associated with the impact of pandemics, such as the COVID-19 (coronavirus) outbreak, regional conflicts, such as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and a significant cybersecurity breach; and (n) changes in trading conditions. No assurance is provided that future dividend payments will match or exceed previous dividend payments. All forward-looking statements contained in this LNG Outlook are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section. Readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Additional risk factors that may affect future results are contained in Shell plc’s Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2022 (available at www.shell.com/investors/news-and-filings/sec-filings.html and www.sec.gov

). These risk factors also expressly qualify all forward-looking statements contained in this Outlook and should be considered by the reader. Each forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date of this Outlook, February 14, 2024. Neither Shell plc nor any of its subsidiaries undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement as a result of new information, future events or other information. In light of these risks, results could differ materially from those stated, implied or inferred from the forward-looking statements contained in this LNG Outlook.

Shell’s net carbon intensity

Also, in this LNG Outlook we may refer to Shell’s “Net Carbon Intensity”, which includes Shell’s carbon emissions from the production of our energy products, our suppliers’ carbon emissions in supplying energy for that production and our customers’ carbon emissions associated with their use of the energy products we sell. Shell only controls its own emissions. The use of the term Shell’s “Net Carbon Intensity” is for convenience only and not intended to suggest these emissions are those of Shell plc or its subsidiaries.

Shell’s net-Zero Emissions Target

Shell’s operating plan, outlook and budgets are forecasted for a ten-year period and are updated every year. They reflect the current economic environment and what we can reasonably expect to see over the next ten years. Accordingly, they reflect our Scope 1, Scope 2 and Net Carbon Intensity (NCI) targets over the next ten years. However, Shell’s operating plans cannot reflect our 2050 net-zero emissions target and 2035 NCI target, as these targets are currently outside our planning period. In the future, as society moves towards net-zero emissions, we expect Shell’s operating plans to reflect this movement. However, if society is not net zero in 2050, as of today, there would be significant risk that Shell may not meet this target.

Shell expects to publish its 2024 Energy Transition Strategy on March 14, 2024, which will include an update on Shell’s energy transition strategy and set out Shell’s climate targets and ambitions for the future.

Forward Looking Non-GAAP measures

This LNG Outlook may contain certain forward-looking non-GAAP measures such as [cash capital expenditure] and [divestments]. We are unable to provide a reconciliation of these forward-looking Non-GAAP measures to the most comparable GAAP financial measures because certain information needed to reconcile those Non-GAAP measures to the most comparable GAAP financial measures is dependent on future events some of which are outside the control of Shell, such as oil and gas prices, interest rates and exchange rates. Moreover, estimating such GAAP measures with the required precision necessary to provide a meaningful reconciliation is extremely difficult and could not be accomplished without unreasonable effort. Non-GAAP measures in respect of future periods which cannot be reconciled to the most comparable GAAP financial measure are calculated in a manner which is consistent with the accounting policies applied in Shell plc’s consolidated financial statements.

The contents of websites referred to in this report do not form part of the LNG Outlook 2024.

We may have used certain terms, such as resources, in this LNG Outlook that the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) strictly prohibits us from including in our filings with the SEC. Investors are urged to consider closely the disclosure in our Form 20-F, File No 1-32575, available on the SEC website www.sec.gov

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