Summary
Northeast Asia—including China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan—is the largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) importing region in the world. In 2023, it accounted for approximately 50% of global LNG trade, approximately 549 billion cubic meters (BCM), and is an important factor to the ongoing evolution of the global LNG market.
Natural gas is a major component of the world's energy mix. LNG trade allows natural gas to be a global commodity. Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, and how natural gas exporters redirected cargos from Asia to Europe in response to the high LNG prices caused by the war, highlights the importance of LNG trade and the continued development of a global natural gas market.
China, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan accounted for approximately half of world LNG trade in 2023, which totaled 549 BCM. These countries also imported 78% of LNG exported to Asia. Except in China, there are no significant natural gas production or resources in Northeast Asia.
Almost all LNG exports produced in Asia stay in Asia (99.5%).
Leading non-Asian exporters to Asia include Qatar (#1 at 81 BCM in 2023) and the United States (#2 at 29 BCM).
LNG accounted for 45% of global natural gas trade in 2023 (1,226 BCM).
China is the only country in Northeast Asia to import quantities of natural gas by pipeline, mainly from Russia and Turkmenistan.
Energy Institute, 2024 Statistical Review of World Energy, 2023 data. Map created by CRS using data from S&P Global (Commodity Midstream Essentials Gold Worldwide database), U.S. Department of State, U.S. Energy Information Administration, and ESRI. LNG storage facilities are often co-located with LNG regasification import facilities, and points may overlap.
Prepared by Michael Ratner, Specialist in Energy Policy; Molly Cox, Geospatial Information Analyst; and Juan Pablo Madrid, Visual Information Specialist on July 12, 2024.
Document ID: IG10058