In the January 2026 instalment of this quarterly series, CEO Paul Everingham reflects on 2025, ANGEA’s activities to start the new year and plans for 2026, and the regional supply and demand environment for LNG.
Taking a look back to start with, how would you summarise 2025 from an energy perspective?
I think 2025 marked another step forward for realistic energy thinking. That’s a trend I’ve been monitoring since I’ve been in this role. I think there’s a better understanding than there was five years ago of the need for pragmatism in energy solutions – particularly as they relate to a fast-growing region like Asia.
The year started with the US lifting its fortunately short-lived pause on the processing of LNG export approvals. That decision was welcomed across Asia. As a bookend, we had the International Energy Agency releasing a World Energy Outlook in November that was much more realistic than previous recent editions in assessing global energy consumption scenarios, especially for fossil fuels. And in-between we had Bill Gates posing a very relevant question: if the world was to achieve all its climate targets over the next 30 years, but disease, famine and economic disadvantage remained prevalent, could that really be described as a success?
Energy isn’t an issue that everyone will agree upon. However, it’s something that is essential to all our lives. We need to be able to have balanced conversations about energy without ideology overrunning practicality. Broadly speaking, I feel like we’re a little further along that pathway than we were 12 months ago. But we still have some ways to go.
How do natural gas and LNG fit into those conversations?
I spent some time over the holiday period thinking about this, mainly because the news about gas and LNG in Asia never stopped coming! We’ve seen the first LNG cargo from the Barossa project, two new long-term LNG deals signed in Thailand and the finalisation of a winter LNG supply deal between Woodside Energy and JERA. Vietnam entered into its first LNG contract outside the spot market, started commercial operations at is first LNG-to-power project and had significant funding confirmed for another. The Philippines made its first gas discovery for more than a decade and there was positive news from Malaysia about progress on coal-to-gas switching. Singapore is looking for long-term LNG deals. The US became the first country to export more than 100 million tonnes of LNG in a calendar year. All this is from the past six weeks – and I’m sure I haven’t covered everything!
What this reinforces is how important natural gas is for Asia’s future. Throughout the region, countries either rely on gas for energy security or are planning for gas to have a much bigger role in their economies, replacing coal as the primary source of baseload generation that underpins expansion of renewables. There isn’t enough gas regionally to support this, which means reliable and affordable supply of LNG is critical.
How has 2026 started for ANGEA?
Very positively. We had the great privilege of starting the year by co-hosting a workshop in Singapore in partnership with the Institute of Energy Economics, Japan (IEEJ) and the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA). There were participants from government, industry and energy organisations from around the region, with a focus on the realistic and honest energy conversations that I referenced earlier.
Nations in Asia are treading a tightrope that involves managing energy security and reducing emissions. It’s very clear that LNG is an energy source that can support both these aspects. It’s also clear that there’s a need to continue to drive decarbonisation through the LNG supply chain itself. Ultimately, all stakeholders want LNG to be available and affordable for Asia and delivered with the lowest possible carbon intensity.
Finding a balance involving each of these factors will require genuine collaboration, along the LNG and gas-fired power value chains and between industry, government and international and regional energy bodies. Workshops like the one in Singapore are essential to supporting this and we look hope to partners with IEEJ, ERIA and other organisations for more of these events in the future.
What else is on ANGEA’s agenda for the next few months?
I’m looking forward to heading to Houston at the end of March for CERAWeek. It’s always one of the key events on the energy industry calendar and I’m really looking forward to getting there and gauging the mood of the US energy industry. Last year’s CERAWeek was very buoyant following the lifting of the LNG export approval pause and the appointment of Chris Wright as Secretary of Energy, and I expect things may be even more positive 12 months on. Our first ANGEA Board meeting for the year will coincide with CERAWeek.
I am also headed to Qatar in March for meetings with companies and stakeholders.
We are currently in the final stages of confirming the appointment of ANGEA’s first Deputy CEO. We had a great response and a very high-quality field of applicants when we advertised the position late in 2025. It’s an important addition for ANGEA that will lift our policy and advocacy capabilities, and I’m excited to announce the successful candidate, hopefully in the next couple of months.
Are there any specific energy issues you are focused on at the moment?
There’s never any shortage of energy issues that are of interest to ANGEA! If I was to pick one that’s currently on my mind, it’s the ever-present need for greater understanding of why LNG is so important to Asia and how LNG markets work. This is particularly important in the Australian context.
Unfortunately, we continue to see narratives from activist organisations and other groups that are totally disconnected from reality. Many of these target Japan, accusing it of “profiteering” from the on-sale of Australian LNG in Asia. These disrespectful narratives overlook Japan’s lack of domestic energy resources, critical need for LNG supply for energy security and role as an energy transition leader in the wider region.
There are many reasons why Japan’s LNG strategy is good for supply countries like Australia and surrounding nations in Asia. I’ve written about these in detail previously. The bottom line is that major Australian gas projects, which also support domestic energy security and significant economic contributsions, wouldn’t be developed without Japanese investment. To suggest that all LNG bought by Japan must be used there, ignores how international markets work – not just in LNG but in oil or any other number of commodities. Whether Australian LNG is consumed in Japan or elsewhere in Asia isn’t important. What truly matters is that it delivers energy security and drives decarbonisation for whichever nation in Asia uses it.
Paul Everingham was CEO of the Asia Natural Gas and Energy Association (ANGEA) from September 2022 to June 2026. ANGEA works with governments, industries and communities in Asia, providing affordable solutions that promote energy security, economic growth and decarbonisation.
