Here’s an impressive list of projects to consider when evaluating Canada’s energy future: a new $13-billion data centre, two new LNG plants under construction and two more massive gas export terminals on the Pacific Coast waiting in the wings.

While boosting production from the oilsands dominates the spotlight in Canada’s energy industry these days, the prospects for natural gas increasingly seem ripe for improvement.

And it all starts with rising demand.

SUBSCRIBER EXCLUSIVE: FP West: Energy Insider brings you behind the oilpatch’s closed doors with exclusive insights from insiders every Wednesday morning.

There was an error, please provide a valid email address.

By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.

A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.

The next issue of FP West: Energy Insider will soon be in your inbox.

We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try again

Interested in more newsletters? Browse here.

“There is a wave of demand growth on the horizon. Obviously, for the past few years, that’s been led by LNG,” Ian Archer, an industry expert and associate director at S&P Global Energy, said Thursday.

“We do see the potential for a lot of data centres to possibly be centred in Alberta, and a lot of them will be fuelled, at least through the short term, with natural gas.”

Indeed, exports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) are climbing, but there are other areas of growth.

Two projects on the West Coast — Woodfibre LNG and Cedar LNG — are being built, while increased electrification and the build-out of massive data centres for AI development — including Meta’s $13-billion facility near Edmonton — are set to drive consumption higher.

“Everybody is bullish on oil. I think gas has been, to some degree, flying a little bit under the radar,” said Martin King with RBN........

© Calgary Herald