On May 23 (local time), according to Deutsche Welle citing a new report from the International Gas Union (IGU), Norway has officially surpassed Russia to become the world's largest natural gas exporter through pipelines.
According to IGU data, in 2025, Norway exported about 108.6 billion m3 of gas through pipelines, while Russia's exports reached 103.5 billion m3.
This development marks a remarkable change in the global energy market, as Russia has held the leading position for many years thanks to its vast pipeline network supplying gas to Europe.
The report shows that Russia's pipeline gas exports have now decreased by more than half compared to 2005. According to experts, the main reason comes from Russia's supply to Europe sharply decreasing after the conflict in Ukraine broke out completely in 2022.
In that context, Moscow is promoting a strategy to shift energy exports to Asia, especially China.
However, IGU believes that this process still faces many challenges. China is currently considered the most important market for Russia's future gas export expansion plans, especially the Power of Siberia 2 gas pipeline project being discussed by the two sides for many years.
According to IGU's assessment, this project is of strategic significance to Russia because it can help compensate for the export output that Gazprom lost after narrowing its operations in the European market. However, the progress of negotiations and project implementation is still limited.
The report also noted that the global gas market has become more flexible in recent years thanks to the expansion of liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure, diversification of supply sources and increased trade agreements with many different partners.
These factors are believed to have helped the energy market better adapt to geopolitical fluctuations, including risks related to the Strait of Hormuz - one of the world's most important energy transport routes.
According to IGU, Asia will continue to be the main driver of global gas demand growth in the coming years, with China and India forecast to play a leading role in the market.
