Global consumption of natural gas is projected to grow 52% from 2005 to 2030, as electricity generation nearly doubles over the same period, U.S. government forecasts released Wednesday show.

Gas consumption would grow to 158 trillion cubic feet in 2030 from 104 trillion cubic feet in 2005 if current laws and policies remain unchanged, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said in its International Energy Outlook 2008.

"Natural gas is expected to replace oil wherever possible," the EIA says in the report. "Moreover, because natural gas combustion produces less carbon dioxide than coal or petroleum products, governments may encourage its use to displace the other fossil fuels as national or regional plans to reduce greenhouse gas emissions begin to be implemented."

Much of the increased gas production to meet demand would come from outside the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries. A significant portion is projected from export projects, particularly liquefied natural gas, with the Middle East and Africa at the forefront, EIA said.

World electricity generation under the EIA scenario is projected to grow to 33.3 trillion kilowatt-hours in 2030 from about 17.3 trillion kilowatt-hours in 2005. Non-OECD developing countries will experience the greatest increase in demand, EIA said.

Over the same time period, world coal consumption is projected to increase 64% , from 123 quadrillion British thermal units in 2005 to 202 quadrillion Btu in 2030, absent new national policies to limit greenhouse gas emissions, EIA said.