Ageing LNG Assets Crucial for Asia-Pacific Supply Resilience

The Asia-Pacific region is facing a pressing issue as its ageing LNG assets become central to supply resilience. The region's growing gas demand, ongoing uncertainty around project timing, and skilled workforce shortages have put pressure on operators to improve reliability and emissions performance.

The market reality is hard to ignore: global LNG trade stands at over 410 million tonnes a year, with Asia remaining central to demand growth and import dependence. Japan and South Korea continue to rank among the world's largest LNG importers, while China's growth in import volumes has been significant.

Operators are taking a more disciplined approach to debottlenecking, phased upgrades, reliability-led maintenance, and late-life optimisation. They are using operational data and digital tools to identify areas for improvement, reduce downtime, and protect capacity. These interventions can also support emissions reduction and efficiency gains.