Gas turbine shortages disrupt schedules for global midstream infrastructure projects

Midstream energy industry insiders have noted gas turbine shortages in the market that will disrupt schedules for global midstream infrastructure projects as the gas sector’s relevance in the global energy sector increases. The increased importance that the gas sector has garnered can be attributed to several factors influencing the market. Despite the promise of more gas projects being commissioned as energy demand grows, a worrying trend has emerged. Shortages in gas turbines could slow the adoption of gas as the new energy resource that could dominate the industry, if the problems can be dealt with that is.

As global energy demand rises, a supply crunch in the gas turbine development has slowed progress to a snail’s pace

The global energy community has been transitioning away from the conventional oil and coal sector in recent years. The question faced by the energy sector is, what do we turn to to replace the valuable energy that oil and coal provide? The answer that has emerged is the gas sector.

The modern digital revolution is driving energy consumption for nations around the world that have substantially large AI data centers. Those data centers have catapulted energy demand, and as a result, nations like the US, which are the foundation for the AI evolution, have seen significant increases in energy demand.

A few years ago, the overarching consensus in the energy sector was that as the world integrates the renewable energy potential, the relevance of the conventional gas sector would decline. The evidence in front of us is in sharp contrast to that assumption, with gas power seeing a resurgence in recent months.

“Gas turbines were dead in 2022–2023. I heard customers say we’ll never be able to get a regulator to approve gas turbines ever. Look at where we are today. We’re ramping up our capacity, we’re trying to produce more and more gas turbines. And frankly, we can’t make enough gas turbines to support this market.” – Richard Voorberg, president of Siemens Energy North America

The gas turbine manufacturing sector did not predict the rise in demand, leading to a supply shortage

The gas sector is welcoming the resurgence it has experienced, and the manufacturers are lamenting the failed preparation that the gas sector will need to step up manufacturing of essential gas turbines.

Despite the apparent supply crunch in the sector, industry insiders are embracing the renewed interest in the gas sector.

“I’ve been involved in the gas business for 12 years. I can’t think of a time that the gas business has had more fun than they’re having right now.” – Scott Strazik, CEO at GE Vernova

The increase in demand can mostly be attributed to the myriad of AI-driven data centers that require exceedingly large amounts of energy. For the majority of the last few years, the renewable energy sector has been the first option for developers. However, a lack of reliable infrastructure and power demand has led the sector towards the gas power industry. The midstream sector has seen companies expanding operations in energy-rich nations, attempting to drive up production to meet demand.

Industry insiders have welcomed the resurgence in the gas sector as of late

Several industry stakeholders have praised the apparent increase in demand from the gas sector, while doing as much as possible to increase production. Despite the unexpected rise that has led to gas turbine shortages, the gas sector is welcoming the resurgence. As the global energy sector works hard to modernize the midstream sector, the energy-rich nations of the world need to do more to accelerate the transition to the gas sector to supplement the rise in energy demand.