Covid-19 to have lasting impact on gas
The global gas and LNG market will continue to recover barring a second spike. But the pandemic’s impact will be measured in years
Gas markets have been hit by a combination of demand shocks this year, with one of the warmest winters recorded being followed by the unprecedented fall in economic activity triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic. And the economic recovery after the lifting of lockdown measures has been slow. The LNG market, which used to grow at double-digit rates, is going through rapid adjustments to adapt to this unprecedented environment, in terms of both volume and flexibility. While LNG trade is expected to keep growing as gas demand gradually returns, the crisis is likely to have long-lasting impacts. Flexibility trumps growth Preliminary data su
Also in this section
4 March 2026
The US president has repeatedly promised to lower gasoline prices, but this ambition conflicts with his parallel aim to increase drilling and could be upended by his war against Iran
4 March 2026
With the Strait of Hormuz effectively closed following US-Israel strikes and Iran’s retaliatory escalation, Fujairah has become the region’s critical pressure release valve—and is now under serious threat
3 March 2026
The killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei in US–Israeli strikes marks the most serious escalation in the region in decades and a bigger potential threat to the oil market than the start of the Russia-Ukraine crisis
2 March 2026
A potential blockade of the Strait of Hormuz following the escalating US-Iran conflict risks disrupting Qatari LNG exports that underpin global gas markets, exposing Asia and other markets to sharp price spikes, cargo shortages and renewed reliance on dirtier fuels
