NLNG has called for deeper global collaboration to strengthen LNG supply, improve affordability for emerging markets, and safeguard energy expansion amid rising geopolitical fragmentation and trade uncertainty.
Managing Director and CEO of NLNG, Philip Mshelbila, made the remarks during the panel session “Energy Expansion in a Challenging Global Trade Environment” at the World LNG Summit & Awards in Istanbul, Turkey.
Mshelbila said the future of LNG hinges on coordinated action across the entire value chain, warning that without structural reforms, the world risks widening the energy divide. He stressed that LNG contracts must evolve beyond pricing and volume to also manage sovereign risks through diversified supply sources, delivery routes, and contract structures.
He noted that the market has shifted from short-term contract dominance to a renewed appetite for long-term agreements following the 2022 supply shock — a trend now driven by elevated geopolitical risk and uncertain global trade flows.
According to him, LNG’s ability to meet rising global energy demand depends on three pillars: availability, affordability, and decarbonisation. While natural gas is often viewed as a transition fuel, Mshelbila argued that its relevance will extend for decades, provided the industry secures new supply, improves affordability, and accelerates decarbonisation across the LNG value chain.
He referenced major capacity expansions in the U.S. and Qatar, alongside NLNG’s Train 7 project, which will add eight million tonnes per annum to global supply. However, he cautioned that affordability remains the sector’s most difficult challenge, with high LNG prices repeatedly pushing developing economies back toward coal and other cheaper, more polluting fuels.
The World LNG Summit, now in its 25th year, remains a premier global forum for policymakers, producers, buyers, and financiers shaping the future of the LNG industry.
BRANDECONOMY Insight
NLNG’s message at the World LNG Summit reflects a broader reality: energy security is now inseparable from geopolitical stability, diversified supply, and contract innovation. The market’s renewed shift toward long-term contracting shows that buyers and suppliers are seeking predictability in an era of volatility.
For developing economies, the affordability challenge is becoming the decisive factor in their energy choices. Unless global LNG pricing frameworks evolve, the world may see a regression to dirtier fuels despite climate commitments.
With Train 7 and other global expansions underway, LNG’s future depends on how effectively the industry balances cost, carbon reduction, and supply resilience in the years ahead.
