World needs $38 trillion energy investment
The world must invest $38 trillion in oil, gas and electricity infrastructure over the next 25 years to stop prices from soaring, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said today. And about half of that will need to be spent in the power sector
Referring to data from the IEA’s upcoming World Energy Outlook 2011, to be published in November, the agency said $16.9 trillion is needed for electricity generation; $10 trillion in oil; $9.5 trillion in natural gas; $1.1 trillion in coal; and $300 billion on biofuels. “This means, more or less, that $1.5 trillion is needed every year [over the next 25 years],” chief economist Fatih Birol told reporters at the IEA ministerial meeting. He highlighted that oil investment was vital in Middle East and North African (Mena) countries, because 90% of the required growth in crude production over the next few years would come from that region. “If the investment doesn’t come through in those countri
Also in this section
20 February 2026
The country is pushing to increase production and expand key projects despite challenges including OPEC+ discipline and the limitations of its export infrastructure
20 February 2026
Europe has transformed into a global LNG demand powerhouse over the last few years, with the fuel continuing to play a key role in safeguarding the continent’s energy security, Carsten Poppinga, chief commercial officer at Uniper, tells Petroleum Economist
20 February 2026
Sempra Infrastructure’s vice president for marketing and commercial development, Carlos de la Vega, outlines progress across the company’s US Gulf Coast and Mexico Pacific Coast LNG portfolio, including construction at Port Arthur LNG, continued strong performance at Cameron LNG and development of ECA LNG
19 February 2026
US LNG exporter Cheniere Energy has grown its business rapidly since exporting its first cargo a decade ago. But Chief Commercial Officer Anatol Feygin tells Petroleum Economist that, as in the past, the company’s future expansion plans are anchored by high levels of contracted offtake, supporting predictable returns on investment
