LNG trends in developing economies
Awais Ali Butt, manager for sales and business development at Pakistan LNG Ltd, discusses LNG’s role in energy security across developing, price-sensitive economies, as well as examining trade-offs between buying strategies and the impact of lower prices and policy on import behaviour
How would you characterise the role of LNG in supporting energy security across gas-importing developing economies? Butt: Energy security in gas-importing developing economies is less about absolute supply abundance and more about managed access under financial and infrastructure constraints. In this context, LNG plays a pragmatic role as a flexible, scalable and externally diversified source of gas, though it is not without risk. From a market practitioner’s perspective, LNG strengthens energy security primarily by decoupling supply from fixed geography. For economies facing declining domestic gas or limited pipeline gas optionality, LNG enables governments and utilities to diversify supply
Also in this section
6 March 2026
The March 2026 issue of Petroleum Economist is out now!
6 March 2026
After Europe’s rapid buildout of floating LNG import capacity, Exmar CEO Carl-Antoine Saverys says future growth in floating gas infrastructure will increasingly be driven by developing markets as lower prices, rising energy demand and the need to replace coal unlock new opportunities for unconventional and tailor-made solutions
5 March 2026
Gas is a central pillar of Colombia’s energy system, but declining production poses a significant challenge, and LNG will be increasingly needed as a stopgap. A recent major offshore gas discovery offers hope, but policy improvements are also required, Camilo Morales, secretary general of Naturgas, the Colombian gas association, tells Petroleum Economist
4 March 2026
The continent’s inventories were already depleted before conflict erupted in the Middle East, causing prices to spike ahead of the crucial summer refilling season






