Academic Task 1 model answer 5: Consumption of natural gas

The table provides data about the use and production of natural gas in nine different countries in 2001.

The most striking trend can be seen in the USA, where figures are over five times higher than those of any other country. With the exception of the former Soviet Union, other countries' production figures were higher than their consumption figures, although there is no data provided for either Japan or South Korea.

New Zealand had the lowest consumption and the closest correlation to its production, with 0.2 million tonnes excess. Australia produced nearly one- third more natural gas than it consumed. The United Kingdom produced over 10 million tonnes more than it used, twice the excess produced by the United Arab Emirates. China consumed only 0.7 million tonnes less than its production. In contrast, the former Soviet Union accounted for far less production than it did consumption, using nearly 18 times the amount it produced.

Although the majority of countries produced more gas than they used in the same year, the rate the of both production and consumption was markedly different between them.