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Natural gas has been fuelling industrial and economic growth across developed and developing countries. Its usage is set to increase as it is also being considered as a low-carbon fuel that can help make the transition to a no-to-low-carbon economy. Argus is your irreplaceable source of price information, news, expert analysis and fundamentals data for international natural gas markets.
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Latest natural gas news
Browse the latest market moving news on the global natural gas industry.
UK to introduce Energy Independence Bill: Government
UK to introduce Energy Independence Bill: Government
London, 14 May (Argus) — The UK government will introduce an Energy Independence Bill that would permanently ban new exploration licences in the North Sea and implement other energy policies, it said in the King's Speech policy announcement on 13 May. The bill will introduce "Transitional Energy Certificates, and show climate leadership by meeting the manifesto commitment not to issue new licences to explore new fields, including delivering the commitment to ban fracking", according to the King's Speech document released by the government. The legislation could be introduced soon, as part of the current legislative period, as some bills announced in the King's Speech are already on Thursday's House of Commons agenda. The UK government had already committed not to issue new oil and gas exploration licences in the North Sea, but it has recently come under increased pressure from energy industry groups, firms, political parties and some unions to revise this commitment. Under the proposed system of Transitional Energy Certificates, the government aims to maximise output from existing offshore fields by allowing firms to produce gas from areas adjacent to licensed blocks. The bill also includes plans to accelerate the deployment of clean energy and grid infrastructure, end new coal licences, create a Warm Homes Agency, implement new rules for landlords to invest in home upgrades and give UK energy regulator Ofgem more powers to protect consumers. Labour leadership challenges could upend plans A leadership challenge to replace prime minister Sir Keir Starmer could delay or weaken plans to ban new North Sea exploration licences. Four ministers had stepped down in recent days at the time of writing, calling for Starmer to resign and for a leadership contest to take place. "It is now clear that you will not lead the Labour party into the next general election and that Labour MPs and Labour unions want the debate about what comes next to be a battle of ideas. It needs to be broad, and it needs the best possible field of candidates," health secretary Wes Streeting said to Starmer in his resignation letter posted on X on Thursday. A leadership challenge could delay current bills being put forward, but it could also bring a leader more supportive of North Sea oil and gas production, whether to boost economic activity or protect jobs. The Unite union — a traditional ally of the UK's left-leaning Labour government — called for the government to "stop blocking oil and gas production in the North Sea" and to immediately give the go-ahead for the Rosebank oil and gas field development in March, along with the Shell-operated Jackdaw gas condensate project. "The government's position on oil and gas is putting jobs and national security at risk," Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said. The GMB union — another Labour ally — has also previously opposed the ban, and its Scottish branch said in April that a "rushed rundown of oil and gas production risks a jobs calamity and should be paused". Current frontrunners for a possible Labour contest include right-leaning Streeting, who could favour a more pro-growth approach, and soft left former minister Angela Rayner and Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, who have both shown support for North Sea bans. By Lucas Waelbroeck Boix Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
New Zealand’s gas reserves extend fall in 2025: MBIE
New Zealand’s gas reserves extend fall in 2025: MBIE
Sydney, 14 May (Argus) — National gas reserves are at an all-time low, New Zealand's ministry of business, innovation and employment (MBIE) said, while Wellington has struggled to attract new investment and turned to LNG imports to bridge a supply shortfall. The nation's official proved and probable (2P) reserves as of 1 January fell by 23pc on the year to just 731PJ (19.2bn m³), a 217PJ decline in 12 months due to 108PJ of production and 109PJ of downward revisions. The Pohokura field recorded the largest single decline of 129PJ, linked partly to well underperformance, MBIE said on 14 May. Turangi field, operated by privately-held Greymouth Petroleum, now holds 380PJ or 51pc of remaining 2P reserves. New Zealand's 2026 production is now estimated at 85PJ, 15pc below expectations submitted for the 1 January 2025 reserves statement and lower than the 115.7PJ in 2024, data show. New Zealand's centre-right National-led government has overturned a ban on new exploration instituted under the previous Labour administration but has yet to attract any significant new spending, despite offering to buy up to 15pc equity in new projects to drive activity. The country's energy minister instead announced a turn to LNG imports this year. The country will build a regasification facility at Port Taranaki on the country's North Island, nearby major gas producing facilities in the offshore Taranaki basin. Power problems New Zealand's electricity is mainly sourced from hydroelectricity, but drought periods can hamper output because the catchments are relatively small. The government is aiming to fast-track solar and wind approvals and explore new deep geothermal technologies to make up shortfalls and reserve gas for industrial and heating purposes instead of power generation. New Zealand's sole major non-renewable electricity generator is the 953MW Huntly power station on the North Island which can use coal or gas. Shortfalls of electricity have previously led major manufacturers like Rio Tinto to curtail production at its 335,000 t/yr Tiwai Point aluminium smelter in 2024, and the associated need for gas-fired power led Methanex to idle its plants to free up gas in the same year. Methanex this month said its New Zealand operations may close after gas supplier OMV in April said it would cease Maui gas field production by the end of the year. By Tom Major Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
German government approves building modernisation law
German government approves building modernisation law
Hamburg, 13 May (Argus) — Germany's cabinet approved the building modernisation act on 13 May, sending it to parliament for further deliberation, with only minor changes from the original draft. The new act will remove the existing requirement that new heating systems run on at least 65pc renewable energy . Instead, owners will again be able to choose between technologies, including gas and oil boilers, heat pumps, district heating, biomass installations or hybrid systems. The core element of the reform remains the increasing quota for climate-neutral fuels, under which gas and oil boilers must gradually use more renewable or low-carbon energy from 2029. Minimum shares are set at 10pc in 2029, 15pc in 2030, 30pc from 2035 and 60pc from 2040. Most of the changes that were made apply to biomass, with rules on a hierarchy for use of wood scrapped following industry opposition. But a new limit was introduced on use of maize and grain in biogas plants. These feedstocks can now make up no more than 40pc for biogas units that became operational after 31 December 2023. Bioenergy industry representatives broadly welcomed the law, but still see shortcomings. Berlin-based lobby group Hauptstadtburo Bioenergie points to a possible loophole, as the new act applies to heating systems installed after it takes effect. Units added since the previous act took force would face no related obligations, leaving an estimated 900,000 oil and gas boilers to fall through the gap. Industry associations are also seeking annual adjustments to bio-targets, rather than steep jumps years apart, arguing this would support investment security and avoid sharp price movements. Changes around biomethane imports have also come into focus. The current bill does not limit EU imports when producers benefit from subsidy schemes, but industry groups have proposed excluding any biomethane that received significant incentives in its country of origin or which counts towards renewable targets there. Details of the bill are still open to amendment. The lower house of parliament, the Bundestag, will first hold a reading before referring the bill to committees, which usually make the most substantive changes based on expert hearings. After committee discussions, the Bundestag will hold second and third readings, before the upper house, the Bundesrat, takes up the bill. Here, there could be delays, as states and municipalities are responsible for implementing and enforcing the law. Disagreements among states could trigger mediation, further slowing progress. The economy and energy ministry wants the law to take force on 1 July. By Svea Winter Send comments and request more information at feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . All rights reserved.
Kabinett beschließt Gebäudemodernisierungsgesetz
Kabinett beschließt Gebäudemodernisierungsgesetz
Hamburg, 13 May (Argus) — Das Bundeskabinett hat am 13. Mai das Gebäudemodernisierungsgesetz beschlossen und damit in das parlamentarische Verfahren überführt. In der Kabinettsfassung wurden gegenüber dem Referentenentwurf nur punktuelle Anpassungen vorgenommen, im nächsten Schritt wird das Gesetz an den Bundestag und die entsprechenden Ausschüsse weitergeleitet. Das Gebäudemodernisierungsgesetz (GModG) soll das bestehende Gebäudeenergiegesetz (GEG) ablösen und die Vorgabe des GEG, wonach neue Heizungen zu mindestens 65 % mit erneuerbaren Energien betrieben werden müssen, streichen. Stattdessen erhalten Eigentümer wieder eine Wahlfreiheit zwischen Technologien wie Gas- und Ölheizungen, Wärmepumpen, Fernwärme, Biomasseanlagen oder Hybridlösungen. Kern der Neuregelung bleibt die sogenannte "Bio Treppe" : Gas- und Ölheizungen müssen ab 2029 schrittweise steigende Anteile erneuerbarer oder CO2-armer Energieträger einsetzen. Vorgesehen sind Mindestanteile von 10 % ab 2029, 15 % ab 2030, 30 % ab 2035 und 60 % ab 2040. Dieser Mechanismus blieb in der Kabinettsfassung unverändert. Anpassungen gab es vor allem im Bereich der Biomasse. Vorgaben zur Nutzung von Holz entlang einer Nutzungshierarchie wurden gestrichen, nachdem Branchenverbände dagegen protestiert hatten. Neu aufgenommen wurde hingegen eine Begrenzung des Einsatzes von Mais und Getreide in Biogasanlagen: Für Anlagen, die nach dem 31. Dezember 2023 in Betrieb gehen, darf der Anteil dieser Substrate künftig höchstens 40 % der Biomasse betragen, sofern das Biogas zur Erfüllung der Mindestanteile genutzt wird. Die Bioenergiebranche bewertet den Entwurf insgesamt positiv, sieht jedoch weiterhin Kritikpunkte. So verweist das Hauptstadtbüro Bioenergie auf eine potenzielle Regelungslücke: Das GModG gilt nur für Heizungen, die nach Inkrafttreten des Gesetzes installiert werden. Anlagen, die seit Beginn des GEG eingebaut wurden, würden demnach nicht mehr unter entsprechende Verpflichtungen fallen. Betroffen sein könnten laut Branche rund 900.000 Öl- und Gasheizungen. Zudem fordern Verbände eine jährliche Anpassung der Ziele anstatt von wenigen großen Sprüngen bei der Bio-Treppe. Dies soll die Investitionssicherheit gewähren und Preissprünge vorbeugen. Auch werden Anpassungen beim Import von Biomethan gefordert. Derzeit enthält der Entwurf keine Einschränkungen, obwohl Produzenten in anderen EU-Staaten teils von Fördermechanismen profitieren und dadurch Wettbewerbsvorteile haben. Daher wird vorgeschlagen, dass Biomethan, das im Produktionsland bereits eine signifikante Produktionsförderung erhalten hat oder im Herkunftsland bereits auf Erneuerbare-Energien-Ausbauziele angerechnet wurde, nicht auf die Bio-Treppe anrechenbar sein sollte. Mit dem Kabinettsbeschluss ist die politische Richtung vorgegeben, die inhaltliche Ausgestaltung aber noch offen. Der Entwurf geht nun in den Bundestag und wird dort zunächst in erster Lesung beraten, bevor er in die Ausschüsse überwiesen wird. In der Regel findet die entscheidende Ausdifferenzierung in den Fachausschüssen und Anhörungen statt, wo die Kritikpunkte der Branche erneut verhandelt werden könnten. Nach Abschluss der Beratungen folgen zweite und dritte Lesung im Bundestag sowie die Befassung des Bundesrats. Da das Gesetz insbesondere von Ländern und Kommunen getragen und durchgesetzt werden muss, kann es im Bundesrat noch zu Verzögerungen in der Länderkammer kommen. In dem Fall, dass es hier Unstimmigkeiten zwischen den Bundesländern gibt, wäre ein Vermittlungsverfahren wahrscheinlich, dass das Gesetz dann noch verzögern könnte. Das Bundesministerium für Wirtschaft und Energie (BMWE) strebte zuletzt ein Inkrafttreten zum 1. Juli 2026 an. Von Svea Winter Senden Sie Kommentare und fordern Sie weitere Informationen an feedback@argusmedia.com Copyright © 2026. Argus Media group . Alle Rechte vorbehalten.
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