Daniel Energy Partners: Natural gas demand expected to climb over next five years, driven by LNG exports, data centers

Rising natural gas demand, a growing rig count and continued consolidation point to a strong outlook for the drilling industry, says Jeff Bellman, Managing Director – Gas, LNG and Power at Daniel Energy Partners. In this interview with Drilling Contractor taken from the 2026 IADC Appalachian Basin Technical Forum on 22 October, Mr Bellman explained why he expects gas demand to grow significantly over the next five years, with LNG exports and data centers driving much of that increase. He also talked about where the supply will come from to meet that demand, pointing to the Permian Basin, the Haynesville Shale and the Marcellus-Utica. Mr Bellman explained that his firm expects the U.S. rig count to rise next year, with Appalachia up modestly as in-basin demand develops. He said he expects more E&P mergers and acquisitions, citing reserve replacement and cost savings.