Australia regulator sees east coast gas market well-supplied through 2026

BENGALURU: Australia’s east coast gas market is expected to have sufficient supply in the fourth quarter of 2026, though further investment will be needed to meet longer-term demand, the country’s competition regulator said on Friday.

The Australian Compe-tition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) said in its latest gas inquiry report that there is a risk of gas shortfalls in the second and third quarters of 2027 if liquefied natural gas (LNG) producers export all their uncontracted gas.

Here are some details: The east coast gas market is forecast to have a surplus of 13 petajoules (PJ) in the fourth quarter of 2026 if the LNG producers export all their uncontracted gas, the ACCC said.

The market is also forecast to be well-supplied in the first and fourth quarters of 2027, the regulator added.

“Higher production volumes in coming quarters could be used to fill storage facilities ahead of increased demand next winter,” ACCC Commissioner Anna Brakey said.

Investment by the Queensland LNG producers and their associates, who control 84percent of commercially viable gas resources, will be central to increasing supply, the ACCC said.