The natural gas industry needs clarity on the regulatory front in order to fully capitalize on the opportunities it has to ensure energy security and lower carbon emissions in North America and around the world, a panel of executives said Wednesday in Houston.

“We have an abundance of resources in North America,” said Enbridge Inc. Executive Vice President Cynthia Hansen, who serves as President of Gas Transmission and Midstream. “We can build out, but it does take time.”

Speaking at CERAWeek by S&P Global, Hansen said the natural gas industry needs “a level of support” at the federal and state levels in order to meet growing demand.

Recent policy changes by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission “do not add clarity” to the regulatory process, according to...