JAKARTA — Indonesia remains one of Southeast Asia’s leading natural gas producers, but it trails Malaysia based on 2025 production data from the Energy Institute. Indonesia produced 6.95 billion cubic feet per day (Bcf/d), compared with Malaysia’s 7.76 Bcf/d. The figures put Malaysia first and Indonesia second among ASEAN countries covered by the data.
Data from the Energy Institute, cited by Katadata, show that Thailand produced 2.84 Bcf/d of natural gas in 2025, well below Indonesia’s output. Myanmar recorded production of 1.35 Bcf/d, while Brunei Darussalam produced 1.02 Bcf/d. Vietnam ranked below those three countries, with output of 0.56 Bcf/d.
Indonesia accounted for approximately 10% of total Asia-Pacific natural gas production in 2025, with output of 6.95 Bcf/d. It ranked fourth in the region, behind China at 25.55 Bcf/d, Australia at 14.37 Bcf/d, and Malaysia at 7.76 Bcf/d. The figures highlight Indonesia’s substantial production base, although it has yet to overtake Malaysia as Southeast Asia’s leading gas producer.
The production gap between Indonesia and Malaysia stood at 0.81 Bcf/d in 2025, equivalent to approximately 10.4% of Malaysia’s output. Measured on the same basis, Indonesia produced about 89.6% as much natural gas as Malaysia. The difference underscores the competition between the two countries to sustain production capacity in the ASEAN region.
Thailand ranked next, producing 2.84 Bcf/d in 2025, equivalent to approximately 40.9% of Indonesia’s output. Indonesia therefore produced around 2.45 times as much natural gas as Thailand. The gap highlights Indonesia’s substantially greater production capacity compared with several neighboring Southeast Asian countries.
Myanmar produced 1.35 Bcf/d in 2025, or approximately 19.4% of Indonesia’s output. Indonesia’s production was therefore more than five times Myanmar’s. However, production volumes alone do not indicate remaining reserves, industry profitability, or each country’s ability to meet domestic demand.
Brunei Darussalam recorded natural gas production of 1.02 Bcf/d in 2025, equivalent to approximately 14.7% of Indonesia’s output. Indonesia produced around 6.8 times as much gas as the small Southeast Asian nation on the island of Borneo. The comparison must also account for differences in economic size, population, energy demand, and industrial structure.
Vietnam produced 0.56 Bcf/d in 2025, or approximately 8.1% of Indonesia’s output. Indonesia’s production was around 12.4 times Vietnam’s. Nevertheless, Vietnam’s demand for gas in power generation and industry remains an important factor shaping its investment priorities and energy policies.
Indonesia’s large production base does not automatically mean that gas is abundant across all parts of the country. The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported that Indonesia produced 2.1 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in 2024, an increase of 1.5% from the previous year. The figures show that national output can grow year on year, although sustained growth depends on new field development and the performance of existing wells.
On the reserves front, the EIA estimated Indonesia’s proven natural gas reserves at 33.8 trillion cubic feet in 2024. These reserves provide a foundation for sustaining production over the long term, provided they can be developed technically and commercially. The challenge is to convert geological potential into actual supply through exploration, investment, infrastructure development, and regulatory certainty.
Malaysia remains a strong competitor, with natural gas production of 7.76 Bcf/d in 2025, compared with Indonesia’s 6.95 Bcf/d. The Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF), in its Global Gas Market Report 2026, also estimated Malaysia’s 2025 production at 72 billion cubic meters, versus 57.2 billion cubic meters for Indonesia. The differences between the datasets underscore the need to check production definitions and methodologies before using the figures in official comparisons.
Export performance further highlights Indonesia’s strategic position in the regional gas market. The ASEAN Centre for Energy reported that Malaysia exported 28.91 million tonnes of natural gas in 2023, making it the region’s largest exporter that year. Indonesia ranked second among ASEAN gas exporters, with Singapore among the key destinations for Indonesian gas supplies.
Indonesia exported 845.8 billion cubic feet of liquefied natural gas (LNG) in 2024, up 3% from 2023, according to the EIA. That volume represented approximately 4.3% of global LNG trade in the same year. Around 97.5% of Indonesia’s LNG exports went to Asian markets, while China, Japan, and South Korea together accounted for approximately 79% of the country’s LNG exports.
Cross-border gas trade also directly links Indonesia to the energy needs of its neighbors. The EIA reported that Indonesia exported 145.3 billion cubic feet of pipeline natural gas to Singapore in 2024, down 11.8% from the previous year. The figures demonstrate that regional gas trade depends not only on LNG shipments but also on pipeline networks and long-term supply contracts.
Indonesia’s production outlook is also supported by new field development projects, including the Indonesia Deepwater Development (IDD) project. The EIA cited combined reserves of approximately 3 trillion cubic feet at the Bangka and Gendalo-Gehem fields, with potential production of up to 2.5 billion cubic feet per day by 2028. If the development schedule and production targets are achieved, the additional output could strengthen Indonesia’s ability to meet domestic demand and maintain its export position.
However, natural gas production trends across Southeast Asia point to structural challenges that cannot be overlooked. The Asia Pacific Energy Research Centre reported that regional natural gas production declined by 12% between 2013 and 2023, largely because of falling output from mature fields in Indonesia and Thailand. In 2023, regional production increased by only about 0.3% from the previous year, indicating that the recovery remained uneven.
Supply pressures are also emerging as regional consumption rises while production faces the prospect of decline. The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimated that ASEAN natural gas consumption approached 180 billion cubic meters in 2025, while regional production stood at around 210 billion cubic meters. The IEA projected that gas demand would rise by 18% through 2030, while regional production could decline by approximately 4% over the same period.
The comparison between Indonesia and Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, Brunei Darussalam, and Vietnam shows that production strength must be supported by a sustainable supply strategy. With output of 6.95 Bcf/d in 2025, proven reserves of 33.8 trillion cubic feet in 2024, and LNG exports of 845.8 billion cubic feet in 2024, Indonesia has a substantial foundation for maintaining its role in the regional gas market. Its ability to increase production, secure domestic supplies, and expand infrastructure will determine whether it can narrow the gap with Malaysia in the coming years.