2022 witnessed a notable increase in UGS capacity, largely driven by the global gas crisis which emphasized the importance of storage for supply security. By the end of 2022, the working gas capacity reached 429 billion cubic meters, a 1.3% rise from the previous year, with significant contributions from China and Europe. The peak withdrawal rate also rose by 1.7%.
The storage market remains concentrated, but China’s UGS sees an accelerating growth
The storage market is largely concentrated in a few countries, with the United States, Russia, Ukraine, Canada, and Germany holding 68% of global capacities. However, there’s a growing focus on expanding storage in rapidly developing markets like China and the Middle East.