The gap between natural gas production and demand in Mexico continued to widen in 2021, according to the 71st edition of BP plc’s Statistical Review of World Energy published Tuesday.

Mexico demand

Mexico’s gas output fell to 29.2 billion cubic meters (Bcm) in 2021 from 30.5 Bcm in 2020 and 34 Bcm in 2019, researchers said. 

The country’s natural gas consumption, meanwhile, rose by 5.4% year/year to 88.2 Bcm in 2021, surpassing the pre-pandemic annual figure of 88 Bcm recorded in 2019.

Pipeline gas imports from the United States totaled 58.7 Bcm last year, up from 54.3 Bcm in 2020 and 50.8 Bcm in 2019.

Pipeline imports from the United States have mostly displaced liquefied natural gas imports into Mexico, which totaled 0.9 Bcm in 2021, BP said. This was down from 2.5 Bcm in 2020...