A new round of data from Australian Energy Statistics was released to day and the Minister is keen to let you know that gas use grew.

Putting aside the fact that 2% growth isn't really 'strong' by any measure (renewables grew by 16%) this is misleading.

(A thread)

Yes, gas use in Australia increased by 2%, year on year, between financial year 2017-18 and 2018-19. The statement is technically correct, but It's important to look at where gas use grew.

It wasn't in the electricity sector. Electricity sector gas use fell by 5%.

It wasn't in manufacturing. Manufacturing sector gas use fell by 3%.
It wasn't in mining. Mining sector gas use fell by a whopping 16%.
Household gas use did increase by 2%, but population increased by 2%, so that's not it. Household gas use is relatively small, anyway.

So who's been using all the gas?

IT'S THE GAS SECTOR!

**Not including the gas sent overseas,** the gas sector is now the second largest gas user in Australia.

This is just the gas industry sampling its own product to send Australian gas overseas, while arguing that Govts should open more gas basins to deal with a "gas shortage".

Here's a proportionate representation of the amount of gas consumed by each sector in Australia in 2018-19. The bigger the square, the bigger that sector's use of gas.

The gas sector will soon be the largest user of gas in the country.

But even the chart above is slightly misleading. See the teeny tiny red bit in this version of the chart? That's the gas we're sending overseas each year.

The gas being sent overseas overseas and the gas that the gas industry is burning to send Australian gas overseas is enough to meet Australia's entire gas needs three times over.

What gas shortage?