ISTANBUL, October 22. /TASS/. Global energy agencies’ forecasts for gas demand growth may only be revised upward due to rising energy consumption by data centers, Novatek CEO Leonid Mikhelson said at the Verona Eurasian Economic Forum.

"Meeting growing demand will be an extremely difficult task, and we believe that without Russia’s resource base, it is simply impossible from a geological standpoint. At the same time, we believe that if demand forecasts are revised, they will only be revised upward. Huge investments are being made in data centers around the world today, and these facilities require a constant, uninterrupted power supply," Mikhelson said.

He noted that investment decisions worth $70 bln were made in the United States last year alone for the construction of gas turbines.

According to Mikhelson, the combined design capacity of all LNG production facilities worldwide stood at around 510 mln metric tons at the beginning of the year.