Oil's sibling rival
Natural gas is slowly making its way into the transportation sector, although the marine-fuel segment looks most promising for now
Natural gas occupies a precarious niche among fuels in the transport sector. It offers a less polluting and sometimes cheaper alternative to gasoline and diesel. But in an era in which the choice is often polarised as one between oil on one hand and renewables-backed battery or fuel-cell technology on the other, gas can be portrayed as an unnecessary intermediate step, whatever the benefits. This makes things tougher for gas producers and sellers seeking to expand this market, but the opportunities on offer could make it worth the effort. Maarten Wetselaar, Shell's integrated gas director, recently suggested that if the LNG sector could secure just 10% of the heavy-transport market, it would
Also in this section
24 March 2026
It is an unusual story of out with the new and in with the old, as America First Refining shows the US going back to trusted energy security developments
23 March 2026
A complex and sometimes contradictory web of factors that include unpredictable oil prices, the globalisation of LNG markets, the expansion of Middle Eastern sovereign capital and the growth of datacentre demand will shape the energy landscape beyond 2026
23 March 2026
The Strait of Hormuz crisis highlights how key waterways can become global chokepoints
20 March 2026
Attacks on key oil and LNG assets across the Gulf mean a prolonged supply disruption, with damage to Qatar’s export capacity undermining confidence in the global gas system
