The International Energy Agency (IEA) has projected that natural gas demand in the Middle East will decline in 2026, marking the first annual drop in the region’s consumption in 33 years.
The agency attributes the historic reversal primarily to the ongoing military conflict, which is disrupting economic activity and curbing industrial and power generation needs across the region.
According to the IEA’s latest assessment, total gas demand in the Middle East is expected to amount to 615 billion cubic meters in 2026.
According to the IEA’s latest assessment, total gas demand in the Middle East is expected to amount to 615 billion cubic meters in 2026.
This figure represents a contraction from previous years, breaking a long-standing trend of steady growth that has characterized the region’s energy market since the early 1990s.
The forecast underscores how geopolitical instability can rapidly alter long-term structural demand trends, even in resource-rich economies.
This regional decline aligns with the IEA’s broader global outlook, which previously forecast a 0.5% drop in worldwide natural gas demand for 2026.