Natural gas: new energy vector?

Energy history has been characterized by a cyclic irruption of energetic paradigms. This situation induces transformations with great economical and social impacts. A new energetic paradigm comes to scene as a result of several simultaneous acting and feedback factors: primary energy availability, technology innovation in energy conversion systems and environmental, economical and social policies even more restrictive. This paper examines the natural gas as a new energy vector in a world context and justifies the natural gas a fundamental component in the world energy matrix for the next decades