Global demand for gas falls for first time in 50 years. - According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), the IMF and the US Department of Energy, global gas consumption is expected to fall about 2% in 2009 after growth of +2.5% in 2008 (and +4% in 2007). This is the first fall in natural gas demand since the 1960s. Although demand for heating gas has remained high in the northern hemisphere due to a rigorous winter, the slowdown in production in the high energy intensive sectors such as...