For two decades, global energy demand was static and efficiency gains, economic shifts, and renewable growth created an illusion of control.The narrative was one of managed transition — a straight line from fossil fuels to a cleaner, perhaps simpler, energy system.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemsend of listEnergy companies believe that narrative is over.Addition, not substitutionIt’s unusual to see that many security personnel lining the road to Qatar’s convention centre. Enter LNG 2026, and the vast conference centre in Doha is hosting the people who shape the global energy system. Seated on the same stage were Saad Sherida al-Kaabi of QatarEnergy, Wael Sawan of Shell, Darren Woods of ExxonMobil, Patrick Pouyanne of TotalEnergies, and Ryan Lance of ConocoPhillips — leaders of companies that collectively sit at the centre of global energy supply.Their estimation: The era of demand is here, and the age of gas is accelerating, not fading.Everything from artificial intelligence, data centres, electrification and population growth are all pulling the energy system to a new scale. The executives say that demand is rising faster than grids, infrastructure, and policy frameworks can adapt.From oil to energyPerhaps that is why the industry is changing how it describes itself. These companies no longer frame their future narrowly like “international oil companies” or oil producers. They now talk about being “international energy companies” – a deliberate shift reflecting a broader ambition: to manage molecules, systems, and supply chains in a world with increasing energy demands. This undated file photo shows a Qatari liq …
