據路透社9月11日倫敦報道，業內高管近日在天然氣技術（Gastech）峰會上紛紛表示，受亞洲經濟增長的推動，未來幾十年全球液化天然氣(LNG)需求料將穩步增加，而疫情被視為只是短期的挫折。

埃克森美孚公司LNG市場開發公司總裁Irtiza Sayyed說：“盡管世界仍在努力應對市場需求的嚴重影響和疫情的影響，但人口增長和能源需求增長仍將支撐著長期基本面。”

國際能源論壇預計，今年全球天然氣需求預計將下降大約3%，此后將強勁復蘇。

隨著世界尋求更清潔的能源以減少污染和二氧化碳排放，天然氣和LNG預計將提供一條通向凈零排放未來的走廊。

錢尼爾能源公司市場營銷分公司副總裁道格拉斯·沃頓在Gastech上表示：““隨著全球經濟的增長，LNG行業現在和將來都將保持高速增長，特別是在亞洲，人們渴望安全、廉價和燃燒清潔的燃料。”

美國最大的LNG出口商錢尼爾能源公司預測，2019年至2040年期間，LNG貿易需求將以年均3.4%的速度增長，而實現這一增長還需要額外的LNG供應量。

參加峰會的一些高管說，由于疫情減少了對新產量的投資，供應可能不會像需求那樣迅速恢復。

伍德麥肯茲公布的統計數據顯示，未來10年，LNG需求增加的三分之二將來自中國、印度、巴基斯坦和孟加拉國。

來自印度的業內高管表示，今年他們的LNG需求正在增加，而大多數發言者都認為，中國將是未來幾十年全球LNG需求增加的主要推動力。

Poten & Partners公司天然氣和LNG顧問蔡明(音)表示，到2040年前，中國的天然氣年需求量預計將超過6000億立方米，而今年中國天然氣年需求量預計僅略高于3000億立方米。

李峻 編譯自 路透社

原文如下:

Global LNG demand to rise for next few decades, COVID a temporary blip

Demand for liquefied natural gas (LNG) is set to increase steadily for several decades helped by economic growth in Asia, industry executives told the Gastech summit this week, with the COVID-19 pandemic seen as only a short-term setback.

"While the world continues to grapple with the severe impacts of market demand and the impact of COVID-19, long-term fundamentals remain strong supported by growing population and energy demand," Irtiza Sayyed, president, ExxonMobil LNG Market Development Inc, said.

Global gas demand is forecast to decline by around 3% in 2020 and make a robust recovery after that, according to International Energy Forum.

With the world seeking cleaner energy sources to reduce pollution and CO2 emissions, gas and LNG are expected to provide the corridor to a net-zero future.

"LNG is and will remain a high-growth industry based on a growing economy worldwide, particularly in Asia, with a desire for secure, affordable and cleaner-burning fuels," Douglas Wharton, vice president, Cheniere Marketing Pte. Ltd. , told Gastech.

Cheniere forecasts LNG trade demand will grow by an average 3.4% a year between 2019 and 2040, with additional supply required to achieve such growth.

Some executives at the summit said that as coronavirus had reduced investment in new production, supply may not recover as fast as demand.

Around two thirds of the growth in LNG demand in the next decade will come from China, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, according to Wood Mackenzie.

Industry executives from India said LNG demand in their countries is growing this year, while most speakers agreed China will be the key driving force for LNG demand in coming decades.

China's gas demand is expected to exceed 600 billion cubic metres (bcm) per year by 2040, up from just over 300 bcm per year in 2020, according to Ming Cai, natural gas and LNG consultant at Poten & Partners