A considerable increase in natural gas demand has been forecast for the coming years. Present-day supply sources will be unable to cover the growing demand in Europe and new suppliers will need to be called on more and more. Diversifying to new supply sources will entail heavy investments and is bound to mean rising costs. Technical progress is necessary to reduce costs, while protecting the environment and providing improved safety conditions. Innovative solutions in the areas of production, processing, transportation and chemical conversion should in the future widen the options and outlets available to operators.