Japanese trading giant Mitsui & Co. is exploring further liquefied natural gas investments across the Middle East, United States and Australia as the rapid expansion of artificial intelligence infrastructure drives higher electricity demand. The company is considering both equity stakes and LNG supply agreements (Reuters), potentially extending an energy portfolio that already includes major LNG projects across several producing regions.
The strategy reflects a broader shift in global energy markets. Data centres require large amounts of reliable, around-the-clock electricity, and natural gas is increasingly being considered alongside renewables and nuclear power as countries and technology companies search for sufficient generation capacity.
Key Overview
- Mitsui is considering additional LNG investments in the Middle East, U.S. and Australia.
- Opportunities could include direct project equity as well as long-term gas and LNG purchasing agreements.
- Rapid growth in AI and cloud computing is increasing demand for dependable electricity generation.
- Mitsui already has LNG interests across the UAE, Australia, the U.S. and other major producing markets.
- The company is positioning itself across both digital infrastructure and the energy supply chains needed to power it.
AI Is Creating a New Source of Energy Demand
The expansion of AI is changing electricity-demand expectations around the world. Global data-centre electricity consumption is projected to more than double to around 945 TWh by 2030 (IEA), with consumption rising at roughly 15% annually between 2024 and 2030. AI-focused facilities are among the fastest-growing contributors.
That trend creates a challenge for electricity systems because data centres often require continuous and highly reliable power. Although renewable capacity is expanding rapidly, grids also need generation capable of operating when solar or wind output falls.
Natural gas is consequently expected to remain part of that supply mix. Forecasts indicate that renewables should provide almost half of the additional electricity required by data centres through 2030, while natural gas and coal also contribute materially (IEA) before nuclear power takes a larger role later in the decade.
The same pressure is increasingly visible in the United States, where data-centre server loads have become a major driver of electricity growth. Under higher-demand scenarios, U.S. natural gas generation could rise substantially (EIA) as utilities respond to faster electricity consumption.
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Mitsui Builds a Wider Global LNG Portfolio
Mitsui enters this expansion phase with an established international LNG business. Its existing portfolio spans projects in the UAE, Australia, Qatar, Oman, Indonesia, the United States and Mozambique, giving the company exposure across production, transportation, marketing and trading.
In the UAE, Mitsui holds a 10% interest in the Ruwais LNG project alongside other international partners. The project is designed for 9.6 million tonnes of annual LNG production (Mitsui & Co.) and is scheduled to begin production in 2028. Its location and scale make the project an important component of Mitsui’s Middle Eastern LNG exposure.
The company has also strengthened its future U.S. supply position. In November 2025, Mitsui signed a 20-year agreement for 1 million tonnes of LNG annually (Venture Global LNG) beginning in 2029.
Australia represents another established pillar. Mitsui participates in the North West Shelf LNG project, which has supplied domestic and international customers for decades and has exported LNG since 1989 (Woodside).
Energy and Digital Infrastructure Begin to Converge
Mitsui’s approach is broader than simply purchasing more LNG. The company has businesses spanning electricity generation, power trading, gas infrastructure and data centres, creating an opportunity to connect energy supply directly with digital infrastructure.
Mitsui has already been developing hyperscale data-centre investments since 2021 and has described such facilities as critical infrastructure supporting AI and cloud services. Its activities cover both digital infrastructure and electricity supply (Mitsui & Co.), giving the group the ability to participate in several stages of the emerging AI-energy value chain.
That integration could become increasingly valuable as data-centre developers focus not only on securing sites and computing hardware but also on obtaining dependable long-term power.
For Mitsui, additional LNG investments could therefore serve two purposes: strengthening its established global energy portfolio while positioning the company to capture a new wave of electricity consumption generated by AI infrastructure.
A Strategic Bet on Reliability
The opportunity is not without risk. LNG projects require significant capital, face commodity-price volatility and remain exposed to environmental and regulatory pressures as governments pursue decarbonisation. Growing renewable generation, battery storage and nuclear investment could also change how much incremental electricity demand ultimately needs to be supplied by gas.
Nevertheless, the rapid growth of data centres is adding a substantial new source of electricity consumption. Mitsui’s existing presence in LNG, power infrastructure and digital assets gives it an unusually broad platform from which to respond.
Rather than treating AI purely as a technology investment theme, Mitsui appears to be positioning for the physical infrastructure behind it: the fuel, generation capacity and energy networks required to keep increasingly power-intensive digital economies running.
Sources: Reuters / Mitsui & Co. / Venture Global / International Energy Agency / U.S. Energy Information Administration / ADNOC Gas / Woodside Energy
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