Oil and gas remain the largest sources of energy, meeting 59% of total global demand in 2024
Oil and natural gas, formed from decayed organic matter subjected to heat and pressure over millions of years, are key energy sources that have bolstered economic sectors such as residential heating, transportation, and manufacturing. However, their role in greenhouse gas emissions and environmental disasters like oil spills has pressured the industry amidst the low carbon transition. Despite this, over 100 countries produce these fuels, and they remain significant in the energy sector. The industry is split into upstream (exploration and extraction), midstream (transport and storage), and downstream (refining and sale). Product forms include natural gas, LPG, petrol, diesel, and other petrochemicals. Recent trends show increased use of natural gas due to its cleaner burn compared to oil and coal, the rise of LNG technology, and advancements in shale gas production. Future supply depends on new deposits and production technology, while CCUS developments will influence the long-term energy mix.
For the latest news and articles on exploration and production, read New Energy World.
Explore our dedicated collection on Shale Gas.
≅0.0%
of methane emissions caused by human activity can be attribute to fossil fuels (IEA)
0%
of total global energy demand in 2024 was met by oil (Statistical Review of World Energy)
>0Mt
of methane emissions in 2024 came from production of fossil fuels combined with limited mitigation efforts (IEA)
0Mt
of CO2 is currently captured annually from carbon capture facilities around the world (IEA)
New Energy World stories
The new LNG rules: UAE sets out its stall, while North America gains new Pacific exporter and Shell looks forward to good times ahead
14th July 2026
In Abu Dhabi, the new organisation, Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM), combines marketing activities of ADNOC Gas and XRG, ADNOC's infrastructure investm...
Gas flaring increases for a third consecutive year, World Bank reports
30th June 2026
Global gas flaring rose for the third consecutive year in 2025, reaching its highest level since 2019 despite the availability of technologies capable...
Businesses say grid investment is failing to keep pace with electrification plans
23rd June 2026
A recent survey of 1,994 business leaders across 18 countries found that 79% believe geopolitical instability has made electrification more urgent, wh...
After a year of decline, global clean energy trade rebounded to $479bn in 2025, according to new report
2nd June 2026
Recent geopolitical developments, including the Iran conflict, have contributed to a sharp rise in global fossil fuel prices, disproportionately affec...
Electrification programmes could solve nations’ over-reliance on fossil fuel imports, but will be limited by grid investments, according to reports
26th May 2026
A new report from BNEF suggests countries could significantly cut their reliance on imported fossil fuels over the coming decades, as rapid advances i...
Technical guidance publications
EI 3340
Guidelines for the management of microbiologically influenced corrosion in oil and gas production
July 2026
This second edition EI 3340 Guidelines for the management of microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) in oil and gas production has been developed...
EI 3604
Embedding circularity across the life cycle of assets
July 2026
EI 3604 Embedding circularity across the lifecycle of assets helps companies integrate circular economy principles into every stage of an asset’s life...
EI 3254
Guidance on applying inherent safety in design - Reducing process safety hazards whilst optimising CAPEX and OPEX
June 2026
Traditional process safety approaches have often required ‘add-on’ safety systems that are costly to install and maintain for projects. By comparison,...
IP 323: Determination of thermal oxidation stability of gas turbine fuels
June 2026
This standard specifies a procedure for rating the tendencies of gas turbine fuels to deposit decomposition products within a fuel system. It is appli...
EI 3097
Research Report: Dispersion modelling and calculations in support of EI Model Code of Safe Practice Part 15: Area classification code for installations handling flammable fluids
May 2026
This report provides the findings of additional research to further extend the dispersion modelling and calculation basis of EI Model Code of Safe Pra...
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Shale gas collection
The Shale gas Collection addresses the scientific and technological aspects of shale gas and its development. You can also download our publication: An Energy Essentials guide to shale gas
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