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