Asian market looking for natural gas, IEA executive director says

CALGARY – The executive director of the International Energy Agency says the future for Canada’s natural gas industry is in Asia.

Maria van der Hoeven says the days when the United States could absorb unlimited supplies of Canadian gas are over as new technology unlocks its own vast domestic supplies.

She says uncertainty over nuclear power in Japan, political drive to clean up China’s coal-driven power system and electricity shortages in India has the region searching for new supplies.

Van der Hoeven says there’s no reason Canada can’t become a major gas supplier to Asia.

A number of companies plan to pipe gas from northeastern British Columbia to the coast, where it can be shipped across the Pacific by tanker.

Van der Hoeven made her remarks during a speech to Calgary’s business community.